Raphael Reference Manual WWW Eng LBL Gov

RaphaelTM
Interconnect Analysis Program

Reference Manual
Version Y-2006.03, March 2006
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ii
CONTENTS
Contents
Table of Contents
About This Manual xi
Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Related Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii
Customer Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
Accessing SolvNet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
Contacting the Synopsys Technical Support Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
Chapter 1 Using Raphael 1-1

Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
2D and 3D Solvers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
GDS II Stream Format Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Raphael Graphical User Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Field Solvers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
RC2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
RC2-BEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
RC3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
RC3-BEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
RI3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
RIL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
GDS II Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
DPLOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Taurus Visual Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Command Description Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Command Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Naming Convention for Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Raphael Flow to Extract Parasitics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Flow Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
RA 2006.03 iii
Draft 5/26/06
Table of Contents Raphael Tutorial
Chapter 2 RC2: 2D Resistance, Capacitance, and

Inductance 2-1
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
RC2 Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
PARAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
BOX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
CIRC1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
CIRC2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
POLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
COPY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
WINDOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
MERGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
POTENTIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
CAPACITANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
CURRENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
RESISTANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
INDUCTANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Z0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
SPICE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
EXTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
OPTIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Theory of Floating Conductors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Selection of Linear Solver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21
Examples Using RC2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22
Example 1: Inductance Simulation of a Line Above
Ground Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22
Example 2: Three Lines Above a Plane. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24
Example 3: Current Density and Resistance Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . 2-29
Example 4: SPICE Model Extraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-32
Example 5: Floating Conductors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-34
Example 6: Anisotropic Dielectric Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-36
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-38
Chapter 3 RC2-BEM: 2D Field Solver by Boundary

Element Method 3-1
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Theoretical Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Green’s Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
FD, FEM, BEM Differences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
RC2-BEM Command Line Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Notes on the Current Version of RC2-BEM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Comparison of RC2-BEM and RC2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Example 1: Microstrip Lines Above a Ground Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Example 2: Inhomogeneous Dielectric Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
iv RA 2006.03
Draft 5/26/06
Raphael Tutorial Table of Contents
Example 3: Modeling of the Power-Plane Resistance . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Contents
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Chapter 4 RC3: 3D Resistance, Capacitance, and

Thermal Resistance 4-1
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
RC3 Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
PARAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
BLOCK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
CYLINDER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
SPHERE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
POLY3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
COPY3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
MERGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
WINDOW3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
POTENTIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19
CAPACITANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19
CURRENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19
RESISTANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19
TEMPERATURE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19
THERMORES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
EXTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
OPTIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
Theory of Floating Conductors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21
Selecting Linear Solver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21
Creating Graphics Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-22
Interface to Taurus Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-23
Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-24
Example 1: Current Density and Resistance of a
Cylindrical Via . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-25
Example 2: Capacitance and Potential Analysis of a
Cross-Over Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Example 3: Floating-Gate Transistor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35
Example 4: Anisotropic Dielectric Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37
Chapter 5 RC3-BEM: 3D Field Solver by Boundary

Element Method 5-1
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
RC3-BEM Command-Line Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Notes on the Current Version of RC3-BEM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Comparison of RC3-BEM and RC3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Example 1: Single Plate Above a Plane. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Example 2: Crossover Capacitance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Example 3: A Trapezoidal Conductor Between Two
RA 2006.03 v
Draft 5/26/06
Ground Planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10

Example 4: Substrate Resistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Chapter 6 RI3: 3D Resistance and Inductance with

Skin Effect 6-1
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Program RI3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
RI3 Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
PARAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
NODE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
PLANE_NODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
SINGLE_BAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
MULTI_BAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
PLANE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
OPTIONS3I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13
MATRIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13
MERGE3I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
EXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
REF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15
FREQUENCY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15
ADMITTANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15
SPARAMETER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16
OUTPUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16
Equivalent Circuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16
Selection of Extraction Algorithm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-17
Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-17
Example 1(raexi31): Inductance of Two Parallel Microstrips. . . . . 6-17
Example 2 (raexi32): Skin Effect Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20
Example 3 (raexi33): Circular Ring Above Ground Plane . . . . . . . 6-23
Example 4 (raexi34): Inductance of Four Bond Wires . . . . . . . . . . 6-27
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31
Chapter 7 Raphael Interconnect Library 7-1

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Raphael Interconnect Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Running RIL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
RIL Interactive Commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
ADD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
CHECK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
GENERATE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
INPUT CHECK / PLOTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
PRINT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
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NEW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Contents
SAVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
VISUALIZE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
TABLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
QUIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Directory Structure and Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
start_up File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
RIL Environment Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
SPICE Netlist Generation and Naming Convention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
RIL Example Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12
Session 1: 3D Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12
Session 2: 2D Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Session 3: RIL and STUDIO Visualize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21
Chapter 8 Advanced Parser of Interconnect Structures 8-1

Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Running APIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Using the APIS Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
APIS Input and Output Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Assigning Metal and Text Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Boolean and Size Operations at Layout Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Specifying 3D Arrangement of Metal Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8
Net Constructing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
Specifying Dielectric Stack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
Specifying Conformal Dielectric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11
Specifying Net Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12
Defining Pins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-13
Generating RI3 Bars and Planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-14
APIS Program Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-18
HEADER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-18
ASSIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-20
BOOLEAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-21
SIZE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-22
GEOMETRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-23
DIELECTRIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-24
CONFORMAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-26
RI3_OPTIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-28
WINDOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-29
TEXT_OPTIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-31
VOLTAGE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-32
CONNECTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-33
Labeling File Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-34
RA 2006.03 vii
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RIL Templates A-1
3D Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
2D Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
Boundary Conditions for the BEM Solvers B-1
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
Open-Space Boundary Condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
Neumann Boundary Condition (or, Magnetic Ground Plane) . . . . . . . . B-2
Dirichlet Boundary Condition (or Electric Ground Plane) . . . . . . . . . . . B-3
Two Magnetic Planes Facing Each Other. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3
Capacitance Theory C-1
Maxwell’s Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1

Poisson’s Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2
Green’s Function. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2
Ground Planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3
Inhomogeneous Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4
2D vs. 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4
Capacitance Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4
Two-Terminal Capacitances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5
Method of Moments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-6
Variational Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-6
Thomson’s Theorem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-7
Boundary-Element Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-7
Finite-Element Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-8
Finite-Difference Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-8
Relationship Between [L] and [C] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-8
Resistance Calculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-9
Analytic Formulae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-10
Inductance Theory D-1
Maxwell’s Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1

Poisson’s Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-2
Magnetic Energy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-2
Effective Inductance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-3
Internal and External Inductances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-4
Current Filaments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-4
Skin Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-5
Equivalent Circuits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-5
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Taurus Topography Interface E-1
Contents
Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-2
Taurus Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-2
Taurus Topography 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-3
Raphael RC3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-3
Command-Line Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-3
Input File Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-4
REGION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-5
OPTIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-6
Example Using the Taurus Topography Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-7
Step 1: Creating a Mask Layout with Taurus Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . E-7
Step 2: Creating an Input File for Taurus Topography . . . . . . . . . . . E-9
Step 3: Computing Capacitance, Resistance with Raphael RC3 . . . E-11
Capacitance Post-Processing F-1
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-1
Cpost SPICE Input Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-2
Cpost Command Input Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-2
INPUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-3
OUTPUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-3
FLOAT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-3
GROUND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-4
DEFAULT GROUND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-4
DEFAULT FLOAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-4
SIGNAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-4
INDUCTANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-4
UNIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-5
END . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-6
QUIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-6
Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-7
Example 1: Batch Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-7
Example 2: Multiple Input Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-8
Example 3: Interactive Mode and Inductance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-9
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) G-1
RC2 and RC3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-1

RI3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-2
RPD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-2
RA 2006.03 ix
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Glossary Glossary-1
Index Index-1
x RA 2006.03
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ABOUT THIS GUIDE
About This Manual

1
This guide covers all aspects of using Raphael and using the Raphael graphical
user interface (GUI) and its four models. The Raphael GUI helps to systematically
perform the large number of simulations necessary to completely characterize the
interconnect parasitics for different process technologies. The program transfers
the three-dimensional (3d) field solver accuracy to the Layout Parameter Extrac-
tor (LPE) tools.
This manual contains the following topics:

• A general purpose 2D program for solving Poisson’s equation.
• RC2-BEM, a 2D field solver.
• RC3, a 3D program for solving Poisson’s equation.
• RC3-BEM, a viable 3D field solver to RC3 for 3D static field analysis.
• RI3, a computer program for conducting 3D inductance.
• Raphael Interconnect Library, a database program that generates and stores
electrical model parameters for interconnect elements.
• Advanced Parser of Interconnect Structures (APIS) utility for building 3D
interconnect structures using mask layout files, written in the industry-
standard GDS II format.
Audience
This manual is for anyone wanting to use Raphael.
Related Publications
For additional information about Raphael, see:
• Synopsys Online Documentation (SOLD), which is included with the
software for CD users or is available to download through the Synopsys
Electronic Software Transfer (EST) system
• Documentation on the Web, which is available through SolvNet at http://
solvnet.synopsys.com
RA 2006.03 xi
Draft 5/26/06
• The Synopsys MediaDocs Shop, from which you can order printed copies of
Synopsys documents, at
http://mediadocs.synopsys.com
• You might also want to refer to the documentation for the following related
Synopsys products:
- For information on Raphael installation procedures, see the TCAD
Products and Utilities Installation Manual.
- For information on the use of STUDIO Visualize tool, see the STUDIO
Visualize User Manual.
- For information on the Taurus-Layout tools, see the Taurus Layout User
Manual.
Conventions
The following conventions are used in Synopsys documentation.
Convention Description
Courier Indicates command syntax.
Italic Indicates a user-defined value, such as object_name.
Bold Indicates user input—text you type verbatim—in syntax and

examples.
[] Denotes optional parameters, such as

write_file [-f filename]
... Indicates that a parameter can be repeated as many times as nec-

essary:
pin1 [pin2 ... pinN]
| Indicates a choice among alternatives, such as

low | medium | high
\ Indicates a continuation of a command line.
/ Indicates levels of directory structure.
Edit > Copy Indicates a path to a menu command, such as opening the Edit
menu and choosing Copy.
Control-c Indicates a keyboard combination, such as holding down the

Control key and pressing c.
xii RA 2006.03
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Customer Support
Customer support is available through SolvNet online customer support and
through contacting the Synopsys Technical Support Center.
Accessing SolvNet
SolvNet includes an electronic knowledge base of technical articles and answers
to frequently asked questions about Synopsys tools. SolvNet also gives you access
to a wide range of Synopsys online services including software downloads,
Documentation on the Web, and entering a call to the Support Center.
To access SolvNet:
1. Go to the SolvNet Web page at http://solvnet.synopsys.com.
2. If prompted, enter your user name and password. (If you do not have a Synop-
sys user name and password, follow the instructions to register with SolvNet.)
If you need help using SolvNet, click SolvNet Help in the Support Resources
section.
Contacting the Synopsys Technical Support Center

If you have problems, questions, or suggestions, you can contact the Synopsys
Technical Support Center in the following ways:
• Open a call to your local support center from the Web by going to
http://solvnet.synopsys.com (Synopsys user name and password required),
then clicking “Enter a Call to the Support Center.”
• Send an e-mail message to your local support center.
- E-mail support_center@synopsys.com from within North America.
- Find other local support center e-mail addresses at
http://www.synopsys.com/support/support_ctr.
• Telephone your local support center.
- Call (800) 245-8005 from within the continental United States.
- Call (650) 584-4200 from Canada.
- Find other local support center telephone numbers at
http://www.synopsys.com/support/support_ctr.
RA 2006.03 xiii
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xiv RA 2006.03
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CHAPTER 1
Using Raphael
1
Overview
Raphael is the result of a collaboration with Hewlett-Packard (HP) to develop a
simulator for parasitic modeling in the semiconductor industry.
Raphael simulates the electrical and thermal analysis of two- and 3D (2D and 3D)
structures, such as on-chip interconnect structures, packaging, multi-chip mod-
ules, and printed circuit boards. Analysis is made in the following electrical areas:
• Resistance
• Capacitance
• Inductance (including skin effects in 3D structures)
• Current flow densities
• Thermal and potential distribution
2D and 3D Solvers
Within the Raphaell program are five interconnect solvers, or analyzers, designed
for different simulation domains. The 2D electrical parameters are best analyzed
with RC2 and RC2-BEM, as described in Chapter 2 and Chapter 3. RC3 and RC3-
BEM (see Chapter 4 and Chapter 5) solve 3D thermal and electrical problems.
The calculation of inductances in 3D structures formed by bars and planes can be
analyzed by RI3, which is described in Chapter 6.
Different areas of parasitic simulation analysis present special design challenges.

To facilitate the generation of 3D structures, Raphael allows for the input of two-
and 3D structures from different sources. Because the input languages of the solv-
ers allow for parametric definition of variables, a design of a 3D structure can be
developed from these sources. However, this approach is problematical when the
number or complexity of the input structures is above a certain limit.
RA 2006.03 1-1
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Overview Raphael Reference Manual
Figure 1-1 diagrams the Raphael data flow, which begins with input from three
different sources with different structures and ends with Raphael output.
RIL GDS II Manual

Input
Raphael
Electrical
Lumped SPICE
Distributions Netlists
Values
Potential
Current
Temperature
Figure 1-1 Raphael data flow
Raphael offers a graphical user interface (GUI) that is specially designed for the
creation and interactive use of interconnect databooks used to characterize differ-
ent technologies (see the Raphael Tutorial). The GUI offers four modes of opera-
tion:
• Parasitics Database and LPE Tools Interface
• Field Solvers
• Interconnect Library
• Taurus Layout and Net Extraction System (NES)
Parasitics Database is of special interest to silicon foundries in the characteriza-

tion of the interconnects of different technologies, such as CMOS 0.35 or
BICMOS 0.80 micron technology. This mode of operation requires a Raphael
solver license. The database can then be distributed to IC designers for use in
interconnect parasitics extraction. With the LPE Tools interface, IC designers can
create the rule files for such LPE tools as Cadence’s Dracula, Diva, and Vampire
and Mentor Graphics’ xCalibre and ICextract. The field solvers, RC2, RC2-BEM,
RC3, RC3-BEM, and RI3, can be accessed through the GUI. The Raphael Inter-
connect Library (RIL), described in Chapter 7, consists of a set of parametrically
defined structures that ease Raphael simulations.
1-2 RA 2006.03
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Raphael Reference Manual Raphael Graphical User Interface
GDS II Stream Format Interface

One of the most important features of the input structure generation for Raphael is
the GDS II Stream format interface, which is implemented in Taurus Layout (See
the Taurus Layout Tutorial). To generate the initial structure, a key step in a
Raphael simulation, Raphael can use predefined models from RIL or read GDS II
layout information. The structures, which can also be generated manually, are pre-
sented as lumped parameters, distributions, or SPICE net lists.
Raphael Graphical User Interface

The Raphael GUI facilitates characterization of interconnect technologies, such as
CMOS 0.35 μm or BICMOS 0.80 μm, and interactively visualizes and models the
interconnect characteristics. A companion to this manual, the Raphael
Tutorial, describes this interface in greater detail.
To run the interface, on the UNIX command line, type:

raphael or raphael -g
The Raphael main window opens to show four modules:

• Parasitics Database
• LPE Tools Interface
• Field Solvers
• Interconnect Library
This manual discusses the contents of the Field Solvers modules and the
Interconnect Library. This material is to be used in conjunction with the Raphael
Tutorial, which also describes the Parasitics Database and the LPE Tools
Interface.
Field Solvers
The Raphael program provides five interconnect analyzers, RC2, RC2-BEM,
RC3, RC3-BEM, and RI3.
RC2
The RC2 solver may be used for the entire range of 2D problems. RC2 solves the
Laplace and Poisson equations using the finite difference method, with automatic
gridding and regridding, as discussed in detail in Chapter 2.
RC2 interprets all structures as infinitely long in the direction normal to the simu-
lation domain. Resistance, capacitance and inductance are presented as the corre-
sponding electrical units per unit length. For example, capacitance is given as
Farad/meter.
RA 2006.03 1-3
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RIL Raphael Reference Manual
RC2-BEM
RC2-BEM is an alternative field solver for RC2 based on the boundary element
method. Although the current version of RC2-BEM has more limited applications
than RC2, for those application where RC3-BEM can be applied, it provides a fast
alternative for RC2. Differences between the RC2 and RC2-BEM solvers are dis-
cussed in Chapter 3. Several examples in that chapter benchmark the RC2 and
RC2-BEM solvers.
RC3
The RC3 solver, described in Chapter 4, may be used for the calculation of resis-
tances, capacitances, current density distribution, and thermal and potential distri-
bution in three dimensions. As with RC2, RC3 uses the finite difference method
for discretization of equations with automatic gridding and regridding. Basic
structures are specified with commands that define basic built-in modules such as
sphere, cylinder and extruded polygons.
RC3-BEM
Similar to RC2-BEM, RC3-BEM is an alternative field solver for RC3 based on
the boundary element method. Unlike the 2D solver, the increase in speed of RC3-
BEM over RC3 is marginal or worse for complex geometries. Differences
between the RC3 and RC3-BEM solvers are presented in Chapter 5 along with
benchmarking examples.
RI3
The RI3 solver may be used for 3D inductance and resistance simulations, includ-
ing the variation of these parameters with frequency due to the skin effect. All
other electrical and thermal characteristics should be calculated using RC3.
RI3 is more limited than RC3 in the scope of the geometrical structures it can cal-
culate. The RI3 solver is oriented to square section wires and RC3 to more general
shapes. Because the structures that can be analyzed by RI3 can also be analyzed
by RC3, the input files for these structures may be used by both solvers. However,
because some RC3 structures are too complex to be analyzed with RI3, the input
files are not consistently interchangeable. The methods used by RI3 are described
in Chapter 6.
RIL
The Raphael Interconnect Library (RIL) performs complex simulations on pre-
defined structures with an easily accessible user interface. See Chapter 7 for a
description of this library.
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When a new structure is calculated, RIL defines the parameters. The RIL interface
also generates the input files and executes the corresponding solvers for each new
structure. Currently, RIL does not use BEM solvers (RC2-BEM and RC3-BEM).
Once a database of parasitic values is generated, the dependence of each value on
one of the library element parameters can be inspected with
STUDIO Visualize. For more information on the STUDIO Visualize one-
dimensional plotting tool, refer to the corresponding chapter in the STUDIO man-
ual, which lists the complete set of RIL library elements.
GDS II Interface
The GDS II Stream format is the most widely used data format for layout repre-
sentation. A GDS II file stores layout information as polygons, lines, or labels in
up to 1,024 different layers. The structures drawn in the file are usually intended
as mask information for IC processing or for the manufacture of package lead-
frames. A GDS II file cannot store information related to material properties, or
process information related to the intended use of a particular structure, or thick-
ness of a given layer. Information must be stored as flat or hierarchical. For exam-
ple, for flat information, every polygon is drawn in its intended position. For
information referred to as hierarchical, a given structure is drawn only once, with
pointers to places where the structure should be reproduced.
The GDS II interface to Raphael is implemented in Synopsys TCAD’s IC Layout

Interface program, Taurus Layout. With this interface it is possible to load a GDS
II Stream format file that is either flat or hierarchical. The interface also defines
the process information that identifies ordering of layers and properties of materi-
als. This information is used when generating Raphael input files for parasitics
extraction simulation. (Refer to the Taurus Layout Tutorial.)
DPLOT
DPLOT is Raphael’s 2D and 3D plotting package used for visualization of struc-
ture and for graphical presentation of results, such as potential, temperature and
current density distributions. The full DPLOT manual is provided in the Supple-
mental Information section at the end of this manual.
To visualize results of Raphael simulations, type:

raphael dplot [FILE]
The syntax of the input file is explained in the DPLOT manual. If <file> is omit-
ted, DPLOT takes the input from the standard input. DPLOT reads <file>, it plots
according to the input, and writes the results to the output file <file>.out. Usually,
DPLOT reads the structure and the results to be plotted from a file of type.pot that
it is created after an RC2, RC3 or RI3 simulation. For more information on this
subject see the examples for simulation and plotting in Chapter 2, Chapter 4, and
Chapter 6.
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Note:
Synopsys will continue to include DPLOT as part of the Raphael release;
however, DPLOT is no longer being developed. Please use Taurus Visual
to visualize output from Raphael. Taurus Visual is easier to use, has
higher capacity, and better quality graphics.
Taurus Visual Support

In addition to the original .pot file for DPLOT, Raphael supports Taurus Visual,
Synopsys TCAD’s advanced graphic package. Taurus Visual uses the Technology
Data Format (TDF), developed by Synopsys TCAD internally, based on the Hier-
archical Data Format (HDF) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Raphael uses the .tdf extension for the TDF graphic file.
Command Description Format

The commands to input information and run the individual solvers are described
in the input sections of the corresponding chapters. This section describes the con-
ventions used in these input sections.
Several special characters are used in the formatted parameter list that appears at
the beginning of each command description: square brackets [ ], braces {}, and
parentheses ( ). These characters are part of the description, not part of the com-
mand.
The special character semicolon (;) can be used as the delimiter of a parameter
definition.
The character plus (+), when placed as the first character in a command line,
means that this line is a continuation of the previous line. When the character plus
(+) is placed at the end of a line, it means that the following line is a continuation
of the current line.
The special characters star (*) and dollar sign ($) can be used indicate comment
lines when either one of them is placed as the first character of a line.
The input is in free format, and upper and lowercase characters are interpreted dif-
ferently, i.e., the input is case sensitive, meaning any instruction is recognized
when written in all lowercase or all uppercase letters.
In the following command, the term group refers to a parameter by itself or a set
of parameters enclosed in a matched pair of square brackets, braces, or parenthe-
ses. For example,
{(PARM1; [PARM2; [PARM3;]] PARM4;) PARM5;}
constitutes a valid group, composed of the subgroups: (PARM1; [PARM2;

[PARM3;]] PARM4;) and PARM5. The first subgroup may be further subdi-
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Raphael Reference Manual Command Editor
vided into the subgroups: PARM1, [PARM2; [PARM3;]] and PARM4, and so
on.
Square brackets enclose groups that are optional. For example,

NEWCOMMAND [PARM1;] [PARM2; PARM3;] [PARM4;
[PARM5;]]
indicates that in the NEWCOMMAND command, the parameter PARM1 is optional.

The group [PARM2; PARM3;] is optional, but if PARM2 is specified, then
PARM3 must also be specified. The group [PARM4; [PARM5;]] is optional,
but PARM5 may be specified only if PARM4 is specified.
When one of a list of groups must be selected, the groups are enclosed in braces
and separated by the special word, OR, that does not form part of the command.
For example,
NEWCOMMAND {PARM1; OR PARM2; OR (PARM3; PARM4;)}
indicates that the NEWCOMMAND command requires that one and only one of the
three groups PARM1, PARM2, or (PARM3; PARM4;) be specified.
Parentheses enclose groups that are to be considered as single items in higher level
groupings. For example, in the above NEWCOMMAND command, the group
(PARM3; PARM4;) constitutes one of three possible choices and is, therefore,
enclosed in parentheses. With the exception of the semicolon, the special charac-
ters are used only for documenting the input syntax and do not form part of the
actual input to Raphael.
Command Editor
An important feature of Synopsys TCAD’s STUDIO environment is the STUDIO
Command Editor. The command editor introduces the syntax of Synopsys TCAD
software tools. To learn more about the Command Editor, refer to the STUDIO
User’s Manual.
Naming Convention for Examples

All art@synopsys.COM examples presented in this manual are named as follows:
• For RC2 and RC2-BEM: raexc2#
• For RC3 and RC3-BEM: raexc3#
• For RI3: raexi3#
where # is the number for the particular example.
Input file names do not need extension. The extensions added to the input file
names to generate the names of the output files are discussed in the chapters that
describe the solvers.
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Raphael Flow to Extract Parasitics Raphael Reference Manual
The corresponding DPLOT input files for plotting the results from each of the
three solvers use the same name as the solver example with the prefix dp. For
example, the DPLOT input file for plotting the results of the first RC2 analysis is
dpraexc21.
Raphael Flow to Extract Parasitics

The following sequence of steps defines the Raphael work flow, from generating a
parasitics database to obtaining the final SPICE models of the interconnects that
need to be extracted. Refer to Figure 1-2 for a graphical representation of the flow.
• Input technology characteristics to Raphael.
• Make field solver simulations on the structures in the layout to generate the
parasitics database.
• Execute the LPE Tool Interface to generate a rule file with accurate parasitic
capacitance coefficients in the syntax of the LPE tool.
• Input the rule deck to the LPE tool, along with information from the layout
database, such as the GDS II stream.
• Complete the final SPICE models of the interconnects to be extracted.
See the Raphael Tutorial for a complete discussion of Raphael parasitics

extraction.
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Raphael Reference Manual Raphael Flow to Extract Parasitics
Flow Diagram
Figure 1-2 illustrates the entire flow of parasitics extraction using Raphael.
RAPHAEL
Field Solver
Technology Characteristics Parasitics Database Regression

Raphael 4.1 Analysis
or later only
Generic Regression Database
LPE Layer Information
LPE Tool Interface
LPE Rule Deck

Layout Database
GDS II
LPE Tools
SPICE Models
Figure 1-2 Raphael parasitics extraction flow
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CHAPTER 2
RC2: 2D Resistance,
Capacitance, and
Inductance
2
Introduction
RC2, a general-purpose, 2D program for solving Poisson’s equation, is based on
the finite-difference method with an automatically adjustable rectangular mesh.
The linear equations set up by the finite-difference method are solved by the Mod-
ified Incomplete Cholesky Conjugate Gradient method (MICCG), which is a
default method, or Incomplete Cholesky Conjugate Gradient method (ICCG). The
combination of the automatic adjustment of mesh and the speed of the linear equa-
tion solvers makes RC2 versatile and easy to use. RC2 can be used for any 2D
Poisson problems, such as capacitance calculation and inductance calculation for
transmission lines with the quasi-TEM approximation. This includes Laplace’s
equation, which is a special case of Poisson’s equation.
RC2 uses dynamic memory allocation so the complexity of the structure to be

analyzed is limited only by the available memory. In addition, RC2 allows a com-
pletely arbitrary configuration of conductors and insulators. (Manhattan geome-
tries are not required, and materials of different isotropic or anisotropic dielectric
constant may be used.) RC2 uses two different models for discretization of initial
Poisson’s equation. The first one is based on the nodal representation of the mate-
rial properties (default model), as the second one is based on the elemental repre-
sentation of the material properties. The last model is more accurate and useful for
Manhattan geometry structures with strongly varying dielectric constants.
The syntax of the RC2 command line is:
raphael rc2 [OPTIONS] [FILE]
The syntax of the input file is explained in the next section. If <file> is omitted,
RC2 takes the input from the standard input. If no options are specified, RC2
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Introduction Raphael Reference Manual
reads <file>, does calculations according to the input, and writes the results to the
output file named <file>.out. One other file, <file>.pot is created that contains the
input geometry information and the potential and electric field data after the
potential calculation has been completed. The DPLOT program reads <file>.pot
and plots the potential and the electric field. An additional graphics file, <file>.tdf
may be created for visualization using the Taurus Visual program.
RC2 interprets the following options:

Option Definition
-b Invokes RC2-BEM. See Chapter 3.
-d Forces conductors to override the overlapping dielectrics.
-h Creates an additional graphics file in Technology Data Format
(TDF) to be visualized by Taurus Visual.
-i Checks the input file for errors and creates a geometry graphics
file; no calculation is performed.
-n No graphics file is created.
-o <file> Uses <file> as the output file name.
-p <file> Uses <file> as the potential file name.
-s Sends the output to the standard output.
-t Prints out a CPU time summary.
-u Appends an output summary to the output file. This summary is
to be used by RIL for easy parsing of the RC2 output for post-
processing.
-w <file> Specifies the name of a mesh file which contains the placement
of grid lines in the x and y directions. This mesh file uses a sim-
ple syntax:
x <x1> <x2>... specifies the placement of grid lines
perpendicular to the x-axis.
y <y1> <y2>... specifies the placement of grid lines
perpendicular to the y-axis.
Positions of the grid lines are in the length units specified in the
RC2 input file with the command OPTIONS.
-W Prints out the mesh distribution used in the final step of compu-
tation to the output file.
-x Potential information is not written in <file>.pot or <file>.tdf.
-z The input file is not echoed in the output listing.
-j Skips the overlapping rule and considers all polygons in the
input file during simulation. (Using this option will increase the
simulation time)
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-P Replaces the value of the parameters defined in the input file

“<param> with new values. For example, -P “w=0.5; h = 0.1” will override
= the values of parameters w and h defined in the input file with
<value>;“ the new values, 0.5 and 0.1 respectively
-I Invokes ICCG method for solving linear equation system
instead of the default MICCG method.
-E Invokes elemental model of the Poisson’s equation discretiza-
tion instead of the default nodal model.
-N Invokes new linear solver (see Selection of Linear Solver, p. 2-
21 for more details)
RC2 Input File

The input file statements consist of comments and/or commands. The lines begin-
ning with * or with $ are comment lines and are ignored. There are 1 available
commands: PARAM, BOX, CIRC1, CIRC2, POLY, COPY, WINDOW, POTENTIAL,
CAPACITANCE, INDUCTANCE, Z0, CURRENT, RESISTANCE, MERGE,
SPICE, EXTRACT, and OPTIONS. A command may be followed by assignments
and/or lists defined below and may occupy more than one line.
The input is in free format and uppercase and lowercase characters are interpreted
differently, i.e., the input is case-sensitive. Any instruction is recognized when
written with all lowercase or all uppercase letters. The syntax and usage of each
command are described in this section.
The structures to be analyzed are first built up using the PARAM, BOX, CIRC1,
CIRC2, POLY, COPY, and MERGE commands. The analysis is then performed by
specifying POTENTIAL, CAPACITANCE, INDUCTANCE, CURRENT, RESIS-
TANCE, Z0 (for impedance), or SPICE (for the generation of SPICE model).
Analyses performed by RC2 are divided into two categories:

1. Electrostatic analysis, indicated by either POTENTIAL, CAPACITANCE,
INDUCTANCE, Z0, or SPICE commands,
2. Static resistance analysis (for planar resistive sheets only), indicated by either
the CURRENT or RESISTANCE commands.
The EXTRACT command obtains the value of the current or the electric field and
the potential at a given location. It can be used only with the POTENTIAL or the
CURRENT commands.
CAUTION
Electrostatic analysis is intended for unit length parameters (capacitance, in-
ductance, etc.) of transmission line structures (infinitely long), whereas static
resistance analysis is intended to find a resistance of a thin planar conductor;
hence, the commands specifying the electrostatic and resistance analyses are
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incompatible and must not appear in the same input file. For instance,
POTENTIAL and RESISTANCE commands can not be used together.
For electrostatic analysis, an object created by using geometry commands, such as

BOX, CIRC1, CIRC2, and POLY, can be either a conductor or dielectric. This is
designated by using either the VOLT (for a conductor) or DIEL (for a dielectric)
keywords in the geometry command. Anisotropic dielectrics can also be specified,
provided the dielectric constant is diagonal.
For static resistance analysis, an object can be either an electrical contact (elec-
trode) or conductor. This is specified by the keywords VOLT (for an electrical con-
tact) and RHO (for a conductor). An electric contact and conductor in static
resistance analysis are analogous to a conductor and dielectric in electrostatic
analysis.
Lines beginning with the special symbol (+) are considered a continuation line
from the last entered command. Lines ending with the special symbol (+) indicate
the following line is considered a continuation line. The symbol is not required
and can be omitted.
Overlapping Rule: When geometries defined by BOX, CIRC1, CIRC2, POLY,

and COPY commands overlap, the geometry defined later in the input overwrites
the geometry previously defined in the input file. This overlapping rule makes it
easy to input many structures such as hollow conductors and metal lines embed-
ded in dielectric material. It is often convenient to make conductors override
dielectrics by using the -d command-line option (see Introduction, p. 2-1 for
command-line options).
Length Units: By default, all geometrical dimensions are in microns. The default
can be changed with the OPTIONS command.
PARAM
PARAM PARAMETER1=<value>; PARAMETER2=<value>;...;
This command defines variables and their values for later use in the input. The
variable name must begin with an alphabetic character, but may include up to 300
alphanumeric characters. value can be any algebraic expression with numbers,
predefined variables, and functions.
The supported functions are sin(), cos(), atan(), log(), log10(),

exp(), sqrt(), int(), and abs(). The argument for any of the trigonomet-
ric functions should be given in radians. The unit for the value used for the length
dimension is specified in the OPTIONS command. This definition of value is
valid on any value arguments in the other commands.
Example:
PARAM A=2.0; B=4; Y=EXP(A+B);
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The command defines a value of 2.0 for parameter a, parameter b is assigned a

value of 4, and y is defined as the exponential value of the addition of a and b.
BOX
This command defines a rectangular object.
BOX NAME=<NAME>; CX=<VALUE>; CY=<VALUE>;

W=<VALUE>; H=<VALUE>;
[ANG=<VALUE>;]
{(VOLT=<VALUE>;[FLOAT=<VALUE>;]) or
(DIEL=<VALUE>; [CHRG=<VALUE>;]) or
(DIEL=<VALUE>,<VALUE>; [CHRG=<VALUE>;]) or
RHO=<VALUE>;}
[COLOR=<VALUE>;]
Parameter Data Type Definition

NAME character Name of the element. Names must begin with an
alphabetic character, but may include up to 300
alphanumeric characters.
CX numeric x-coordinate of the center.
default units: microns
CY numeric y-coordinate of the center.
W numeric Width (dimension along local x' -axis).
H numeric Height (dimension along local y'-axis).
ANG numeric Optional rotation angle of the local coordinate
system about the center.
units: degrees
direction: counter clockwise
reference: positive x-axis
default value: 0
VOLT numeric Potential of electrode element.
units: volt
FLOAT numeric Fixed charge or current of the floating electrode.
units: coulomb/unit or ampere
DIEL numeric Relative dielectric constant of dielectric element.
Use of two values denotes an anisotropic dielectric.
The first value refers to the x component,
the second, the y component.
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CHRG numeric Optional fixed charge density in dielectric element.
units: coulomb/unit3 where unit is specified in the
OPTIONS command
default value: 0
RHO numeric Sheet resistivity of material (used only for
CURRENT or RESISTANCE calculations).
units: ohm
COLOR numeric Optional color index to be used when plotting.
y
y' x'
ang
(cx,cy) x
h
w
Figure 2-1 BOX type geometric element

Example:
BOX NAME=SQUARE; W=5; H=(A+B); CX=1; CY=1; ANG=45; VOLT=2.5;
The command defines an electrode named square, with a width of 5 and a height
defined as the addition of a and b, centered at coordinates (1,1) in a global coordi-
nate system, rotated at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the positive X axis,
and biased at with 2.5 volts.
CIRC1
This command defines a full or partial circular element.
CIRC1 NAME=<NAME>; CX=<VALUE>; CY=<VALUE>;

R=<VALUE>;
[ANG1=<VALUE>;] [ANG2=<VALUE>;]
{(VOLT=<VALUE>;[FLOAT=<VALUE>;]) or
RHO=<VALUE>;} [COLOR=<VALUE>;]
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CX numeric x-coordinate of center.
CY numeric y-coordinate of center.
R numeric Radius.
ANG1 numeric Optional starting angle of partial circle.
units: degrees, default value: 0
ANG2 numeric Optional ending angle of partial circle.
units: degrees, default value: 0
units: volt
The first value refers to the x component, the
second, the y component.
units: coulomb/unit3 where unit is specified in
OPTIONS command.
units: ohm
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P
ang1
(cx,cy)
ang2
r
Figure 2-2 CIRC1 type geometric element

Example:
CIRC1 NAME=CIRCLE; CX=1.0; CY=2.0; R=0.5; VOLT=1.0;
The command defines an electrode named circle, centered at coordinates (1,2) in a

global coordinate system, with a radius of 0.5, and biased at 1.0 volt. As neither
ang1 nor ang2 has been defined, the electrode is a full circle.
CIRC2
This command defines a full or partial circular element.
CIRC2 NAME=<NAME>; CX=<VALUE>; CY=<VALUE>;

PX=<VALUE>; PY=<VALUE>; [ANG=<VALUE>;]
{(VOLT=<VALUE>; [FLOAT=<VALUE>;) or

CX numeric x-coordinate of center.
CY numeric y-coordinate of center.
PX numeric x-coordinate of a point, P, on the periphery.
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PY numeric y-coordinate of point P.
ANG numeric Optional angle of partial circle starting at point P.
units: degrees
direction: counter clockwise
default value: 0
units: volt
The first value refers to the x component, the sec-
ond, the y component.
units: coulomb/unit3 where unit is specified in
OPTIONS command
default value: 0
RHO numeric Sheet resistivity of material (used only for CUR-
RENT or RESISTANCE calculations).
units: ohm
(px,py)
(cx,cy)
ang
Figure 2-3 CIRC2 type geometric element
Example:
CIRC2 NAME=C;CX=1;CY=1;PX=3;PY=3;ANG=270;VOLT=0.5;
The command defines a sector of a circle as an electrode named c, centered at

coordinates (1,1) in a global coordinate system, a point at coordinates (3,3) in the
periphery. An angle of 270 degrees measured counter clockwise from the refer-
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ence defined by the center and the node in the periphery marks the limits of the
circular sector. The electrode is biased at 0.5 volts.
POLY
This command defines a polygon region with n vertices.
POLY NAME=<NAME>; COORD=<X1,Y1; X2,Y2; X3,Y3; [X4,Y4;]

... [XN,YN;]>
{(VOLT=<VALUE>; [FLOAT=<VALUE>;]) or
RHO=<VALUE>;}
[COLOR=<VALUE>;]

COORD numeric x1, y1;... x, y coordinates of vertices, a minimum
of three vertices has to be specified.
units: volt
Use of two values designates an anisotropic dielec-
tric. The first value refers to the x component, the
OPTIONS command
default value: 0
CURRENT or RESISTANCE calculation).
units: ohm
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(x3,y3)
(x2,y2)
(x4,y4)
(x5,y5)
(x1,y1)
(x6, y6)
(x7,y7)
Figure 2-4 POLY type geometric element

Example:
POLY NAME=VSEVEN; COORD=12.7,6; 12.8,7.9; 16.2,8.5;

16.7,8; 16.6,7.2; 16.7,6.7; 15.3,6.2; RHO=1E-4;
The command defines a polygon as a conductor named vseven with seven vertices
and a resistivity of .0001 ohm.
COPY
This command copies a predefined geometry onto a different place.
COPY FROM=<NAME>; TO=<NAME>; DX=<VALUE>;

DY=<VALUE>; {(VOLT=<VALUE>; [FLOAT=<VALUE>;]) or

FROM character Name of predefined geometry.
TO character Name of the new geometry.
DX numeric Translation in the x-direction.
DY numeric Translation in the y-direction.
units: volt
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Use of two values designates an anisotropic dielec-
tric. The first value refers to the x component, the
OPTIONS command, default value: 0
units: ohm
Example:
COPY FROM=VSEVEN; TO=NEWPOLY; DX=50; DY=0; RHO=2E-3;
The command defines a new object named newpoly as a conductor copied from
vseven and shifted by 50 in the X direction, with the same Y coordinate values,
and a resistivity of .002 ohm.
WINDOW
This command sets the simulation window size and physical properties. A reflec-
tive (Neumann) boundary condition is applied on the four sides of the simulation
window. By using the reflective boundary condition, an input structure can be
reduced to one half or one quarter of the whole structure. This symmetry can be
exploited when both geometry and bias are symmetric around the same axis. This
is not usually the case for capacitance simulations because when one electrode is
biased all the others are grounded, thus imposing a nonsymmetric bias.
WINDOW X1=<VALUE>; Y1=<VALUE>; X2=<VALUE>;

Y2=<VALUE>; {(DIEL=<VALUE>; [CHRG=<VALUE>;]) or
RHO=<VALUE>;}

X1 numeric x-coordinate of lower left corner of window
Y1 numeric y-coordinate of lower left corner of window
X2 numeric x-coordinate of upper right corner of window
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Y2 numeric y-coordinate of upper right corner of window
DIEL numeric Relative dielectric constant of dielectric element
default value: 1. Use of two numbers specifies an
anisotropic dielectric material. The first value refers
to the x component, the second, the y component.
Note that the default is an isotropic material with a
dielectric coefficient of 1.
OPTIONS command
default value: 0
RHO numeric Sheet resistivity of window (used only for
units: ohm
default value: 1e6 or 1e4*maximum rho of all
structures, whichever is greater
Example:
WINDOW X1=0.0; Y1=0.0; X2=15.0; Y2=10.0; DIEL=3.5;
The command defines the simulation domain, any object outside the rectangle
defined by the coordinate limits X1,Y1;X2,Y2 is ignored. All the spaces not filled
with other objects is considered dielectric with a relative dielectric constant of 3.5.
MERGE
MERGE <NAME>; <NAME>; ... ;
This command electrically connects the named electrodes to create a single one.
The electrodes may be overlapping, touching, or separate. For capacitance calcu-
lations, the new compound electrode may be referred to by any of its component
electrode names. In case the values under VOLT=... or FLOAT=... were not speci-
fied consistently among the merged electrodes, the first value overrides the others.
Note:
Objects with the same name are automatically merged.
Example:
MERGE SQUARE; CIRCLE;
The command merges square and circle into a single object.
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POTENTIAL
POTENTIAL
This command calculates the potential distribution and the amount of charge on
each electrode for the given bias. It also creates the potential file <file>.pot and
<file>.tdf, if specified. The file contains the potential and electric field data;
unless the -n command flag is invoked.
CAPACITANCE
CAPACITANCE <NAME>; <NAME>; ...;
This command calculates the capacitance matrix for the listed electrodes. The
short circuit capacitances are calculated. The diagonal term in the capacitance
matrix always represent the total capacitance of the corresponding electrode with
respect to all other electrodes (as if only that electrode is biased and all others are
grounded). The off-diagonal terms represent the capacitances between both elec-
trodes with the sign changed. Figure 2-5 represents a typical structure where
capacitances may be required. The mathematical relationship between the capaci-
tances expressed in the schematic and the corresponding short-circuit capaci-
tances calculated by Raphael is expressed in Figure 2-6. The capacitance matrix
should be symmetric. Due to regridding and/or the ICCG iteration tolerance, the
final result may not be exactly symmetric.
When there is no name list following the CAPACITANCE command, the full
capacitance matrix is calculated.
Example:
CAPACITANCE ELEC1; ELEC2;
The command requests the simulation of the capacitance between electrodes elec1
and elec2 and all other electrodes.
C12
elec1 elec2 elec1 elec2
C10 C20
ground
ground ground
a) b)
Figure 2-5 a) Structure formed by two electrodes parallel to a ground plane

b) Corresponding schematic for the capacitance simulation
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C i0 = C sii + ∑C sij
elec1 elec2 C ij = – C sij
elec1 C s11 C s12
C 10 = C s11 + C s12
elec2 C s21 C s22 C 20 = C s22 + C s21
C 21 = – C s21
C 12 = – C s12
a) b)
Figure 2-6 a) Short-circuit capacitance matrix calculated by Raphael

b) Relationship between these capacitances and those
represented in Figure 2-5, where Σ represents the summation of
all j elements with j ≠ i
CURRENT
CURRENT
This command calculates the current density distribution and total current flowing
in each planar conductor. The current densities at every grid point are stored in the
file <file>.pot.
RESISTANCE
RESISTANCE <NAME>; <NAME>; ...;
This command calculates the equivalent resistive network among electrodes on a

planar resistive sheet.
Example:
RESISTANCE PROBE1; PROBE2;
Note:
CURRENT and RESISTANCE commands are incompatible with
POTENTIAL and CAPACITANCE commands. They are intended to be
used in different structures: CURRENT to calculate current distributions
within a planar conductor and POTENTIAL to calculate potential distri-
bution in transmission lines.
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INDUCTANCE
INDUCTANCE <NAME>; <NAME>; ...;
This command calculates the inductance matrix for the listed elements. Since in
2D electrostatic analysis the inductance matrix is obtained by inverting the free-
space capacitance matrix (calculated by removing all dielectric materials), at least
one electrode should be grounded to provide a return path for the current not listed
in the inductance calculation. Otherwise, the capacitance matrix is singular and
cannot be inverted.
Example:
INDUCTANCE CIRCLE1;
This command requests the self loop-inductance simulation for the electrode
named circle1.
Z0
Z0 <NAME>;
This command calculates the characteristic impedance assuming all but the named
electrode are grounded. The characteristic impedance is calculated as follows:
z0 = L⁄ C Equation 2-1
Where L is the total inductance value for the named electrode and C is its total
capacitance.
Example:
Z0 ELECT1;
The command requests the impedance simulation for the electrode named elec1.
SPICE
This command causes a SPICE subcircuit model to be generated. Resistance,
capacitance, and inductance are automatically calculated. Since the inductance
calculation requires that a reference node be specified (in order that the capaci-
tance matrix may be inverted), you must specify the GND node. The generated
model is written to the file specified by FILE.
SPICE GND=<NAME>; FILE=<NAME>; [RHO=<VALUE>;]

[LENGTH=<VALUE>;]
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GND character The name of the reference node or electrode.
FILE character The name of the file to which the SPICE model is to
be written.
LENGTH numeric The length in the Z dimension of the structure. The
resistance, capacitance, and inductance are effec-
tively multiplied by this dimension.
default unit: microns
default value: 1.0
RHO numeric The resistivity of the conductors. This value is used
to calculate the dc resistance of the conductors in a
transmission-line problem, rather than in a planar
resistive sheet. The unit is in ohm-meter, instead of
ohm.
units: ohm-meter
default value: 3.*10-8, (aluminum)
When creating a SPICE model, RC2 interprets each conductor as having uniform
cross-section and being very long in the direction normal to the 2D plane where it
was created. Then each conductor is assigned 3 nodes for the netlist construction.
The electrode defined as ground is assigned only one node. The following exam-
ple shows how to request a SPICE model for the structure presented in Figure 2-5;
the corresponding schematic circuit is shown in Figure 2-7.
Example:
SPICE GND=GROUND; FILE=SPICE1.OUT; RHO=3.0E-8; LENGTH=20.0;
This command requests a SPICE subcircuit model to be generated; the model is

written to the file spice1.out; the reference node is the electrode ground; all elec-
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trodes are assigned a resistivity of 3.0*10-8 ohm-meter and a length normal to the
plane of 20.0 mm.
elec1_x R1 elec1 L1 elec1_y
C_1_0
C_1_2 K12
elec2_x 3 R2 elec2 L2 elec2_y
C_2_0
GROUND_RC2
ground
Figure 2-7 Illustration of the automatic node assignment by RC2 when a

SPICE subcircuit is created. Node GROUND_RC2 is assigned to
the ground electrode
For N transmission lines (N+1 conductors including a ground), the SPICE subcir-
cuit model contains 2N+1 external nodes and N internal nodes. For each signal
conductor, the external node names at the two terminals are constructed by attach-
ing _x and _y to the conductor name. GROUND_RC2 is always used for the node
name for a ground (reference).
EXTRACT
EXTRACT X1=<VALUE>; Y1=<VALUE>;
This command extracts the potential and the two Cartesian components of the
electric field (or current) at the coordinate point specified by X1,Y1. The
EXTRACT command can be used only with the POTENTIAL or CURRENT
commands.
Example:
EXTRACT X1=1.5; Y1=2.7;
This command extracts the resulting potential and the electric field (or current) at
the coordinate point (1.5,2.7).
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OPTIONS
This command sets the values of different options.
OPTIONS [SET_GRID=<VALUE>;]
[MAX_ITER=<VALUE>;]
[ITER_TOL=<VALUE>;]
[MAX_REGRID=<VALUE>;]
[REGRID_TOL=<VALUE>;]
[UNIT=<VALUE>;]
[GRID_SLIP=<VALUE>;]
[FAC_REGRID=<VALUE>;]

SET_GRID numeric Number of grid points automatically allocated for
the first simulation. The default is dynamically set.
MAX_ITER numeric Maximum number of iterations.
default value: 100 or 1% of the number of grid
points, whichever is greater
ITER_TOL numeric Iteration tolerance with which the iteration stops.
(The default is dynamically set between 10-4 and
10-12, depending on the values of VOLT, DIEL, and
RHO.)
MAX_REGRID numeric Maximum number of regrid operations.
(default value: 1) Setting MAX_REGRID=0
should be adequate for most applications.
REGRID_TOL numeric For each regrid, the calculated largest charge on a
conductor is compared with the charge on the same
conductor in the previous calculation. If the per-
centage difference is less than this value, no more
regridding is done.
default value: 1.0
UNIT numeric Unit of geometrical dimensions with respect to
meters.
default value: 10-6 (in order to scale to microns)
GRID_SLIP numeric Maximum allowed distance between a polygon
vertex and a mesh point divided by the correspond-
ing window dimension.
default value: 10-5
FAC_REGRID numeric Multiplication factor for increasing the number of
grid points. For each regrid the number of grid
points is increased FAC_REGRID times.
default value: 1.0
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Theory of Floating Conductors Raphael Reference Manual
Example:
OPTIONS UNIT=1E-6; SET_GRID=10000;
This command sets the dimensional unit system to be microns (10-6 with respect
to meters) and requests the initial simulation to be done with 10,000 nodes.
Theory of Floating Conductors

A simple way to handle floating conductors (with nonzero fixed charges) is:
1. Consider floating conductors as regular signal conductors during the field-
solver simulation, and generate the circuit model.
2. Float them during the circuit simulation.
Although this is a valid approach, it is numerically inefficient because it does not

eliminate the electrical nodes associated with floating conductors, which may
increase the CPU time and/or cause numerical instability during circuit simula-
tion. A better approach is to remove the floating conductor nodes by preprocess-
ing the circuit model before circuit simulation.
To demonstrate preprocessing of the circuit model, the short circuit capacitance

matrix of a three-conductor system (two signal conductors with one ground con-
ductor) is considered:
C 11 C 12 V1 Q1
= Equation 2-2
C 21 C 22 V2 Q2
where V1 and V2 are the nodal voltages, and Q1 and Q2 are the free charges on the
signal conductors. If you assume that conductor 2 has a fixed charge of Qo(=Q2),
the above equation can be reduced to
⎛C – C 12 C 21⎞
C 12
----------------- V = Q – --------
1 C Qo Equation 2-3
⎝ 11 C ⎠ 1 22
22
and the voltage on the floating conductor, V2, is given by
1
V 2 = -------- ( Q o – C 21 V 1 ) Equation 2-4
C 22
Then, the capacitance Ceq of the reduced-circuit model, which relates Q1 and V1,
can be expressed by
dV 1 dQ 1⎞
C eq = i1 ⎛ = Equation 2-5
dt ⎝ dt ⎠
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Raphael Reference Manual Selection of Linear Solver
where
C 12 C 21
C eq = C 11 – ----------------- Equation 2-6
C 22
and the initial condition for the transient analysis is
- - C 12
C eq V 1 ( 0 ) = Q 1 ( 0 ) – -------- Q o Equation 2-7
C 22
If Qo is nonzero, a charge source need be included in a circuit simulator to account

for the correct initial condition. When Qo is zero, as it often is, no extra term is
needed.
Note:
For the static sheet resistance analysis, floating electrodes correspond to
those electrodes with fixed currents.
Although the above describes the relationship between the full and reduced circuit
models, the actual implementation does not require the solution of an entire
capacitance matrix. For better efficiency, the effect of fixed charge is accounted
for directly during the field solver simulation.
Selection of Linear Solver

RC2 filed solver includes a set of linear solvers for 2D elliptic problems. All these
solvers are based on Preconditioned Conjugate Gradient (PCG) method with
ILU(p) preconditioners (p denotes the level of fill-in for preconditioner). As the
variant of the ILU(p) preconditioner, a set of linear solvers also includes Modified
ILU preconditioner (MILU). The built-in system provides automatic selection of
the proper linear solver. Manual selection of particular linear solver for RC2 can
be done by using -I and/or -N options on the command line. Below is the descrip-
tion of the effect of various command-line option on the selection of linear solver:
• Default behavior (neither -I nor -N options are specified on the command line)
provides automatic selection between MILU(0) and ILU(0) preconditioners
for PCG linear solver. This behavior is the default starting from Raphael ver-
sion 2002.2. These solvers dramatically outperform old ICCG linear solver.
• -I option on the command line invokes old ICCG linear solver that was the
only solver of choice before Raphael version 2002.2
• -N option on the command line invokes new PCG linear solvers with ILU(2)
and MILU(2) preconditioners. These solvers outperform default linear solvers
and use fewer iterations to converge. Choice of the particular solver will be
done automatically in accordance with the type of the problem. This is the
recommended choice.
• -N -I options on the command line force you to use ILU(2) preconditioner for
PCG linear solver. This option provides manual control for linear solver
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Examples Using RC2 Raphael Reference Manual
choice to obtain robust solution for linear problem with strongly varying dis-
continuous coefficients (these linear problems may arise from DC resistance
analysis and sometimes from electrostatic analysis).
Examples Using RC2

The following examples illustrate the use of RC2:
1. The inductance simulation capability of RC2 is shown in the first example,
and the results are compared with semi-empirical approximations.
2. The second example calculates the potential distribution, capacitance and
inductance of a structure consisting of three metal lines and a ground plane.
3. The third example calculates the current density and resistance of a bent metal
line.
4. The fourth example illustrates the automatic extraction of a SPICE model for
a structure consisting of two metal lines above a ground plane.
5. The final example demonstrates the treatment of anisotropic dielectric materi-
als using RC2. The program output is validated using analytic results.
All RC2 input files are echoed in the output listing for all examples.
Example 1: Inductance Simulation of a Line Above Ground

Plane
A simple structure is selected to exemplify the inductance simulation and its com-
parison with analytical results. Figure 2-8 shows a long, flat conductor parallel to
a ground plane. Both conductors are very long in the direction normal to the simu-
lation plane, and they form a loop such that the current flows in one direction
through the conducting line and returns through the ground plane. An analytical
solution for this case is presented by C. S. Walker in Capacitance, Inductance,
and Cross-talk Analysis, 1990, pp. 97-99.
ground plane
Figure 2-8 Structure used to demonstrate inductance simulations; current
flows inward in the line and returns through the ground plane
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Raphael Reference Manual Examples Using RC2
The input file, raexc21, used to calculate inductances using RC2 is presented in
Figure 2-9. The PARAM command is used in line 6 to parametrically define the
characteristic dimensions of the structure, and to ease the generation of several
input files to compare the calculated inductance with Walker’s results. Lines 8 and
10 define the line and the ground plane. The simulation window is defined in line
12. In Line 15 the inductance simulation is requested.
INPUT FILE : raexc21

1 * RC2 RUN OUTPUT=raexc21
2 $ Example RAEXC21
3 $ Inductance simulation for comparison with Walkers results
4 $ infinite line above a ground plane
5 $ parameter definition
6 PARAM mth=1.0; mwd=30.0; ratio=5.0; h=mwd*ratio; plth=2; plwd=6.0*h;
7 $ Metal line 1
8 BOX NAME=m1; CX=plwd/2.; CY=plth+h+mth/2; W=mwd; H=mth; VOLT=1;
9 $ Ground plane
10 BOX NAME=plane; CX=plwd/2.; CY=plth/2; W=plwd; H=plth; VOLT=0;
11 $ Define the simulation window
12 WINDOW X1=0; Y1=0.; X2=plwd; Y2=3.0*plwd;
13 OPTIONS SET_GRID=500;
14 $ Do calculations
15 INDUCTANCE m1;
*** INDUCTANCE CALCULATION [Henry / (1e-06*m)]
m1
m1 7.155294e-13
==> SPICE Models for Inductance Matrix [Henry / (1e-06*m)]
L_1 m1 m1_y 7.155294e-13
Figure 2-9 Partial listing of Example raexc21, that defines a line of

rectangular cross-section running parallel to a ground plane
A comparison of RC2 results with Walker’s results for this structure is presented
in Figure 2-10 using the aspect ratio h/w as a parameter. A difference of less than
5% is observed in the whole range when the aspect ratio is changed from 0.5 to 5,
corresponding to a variation in the wire-to-ground distance of 15 to 150 microns.
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Figure 2-10 Simulated inductance per unit length of the structure presented in
Figure 2-8 compared with Walker’s results
Example 2: Three Lines Above a Plane

In the following example, a structure containing three metal lines and a ground
plane are simulated. This example illustrates how structures can be created using
the geometric elements that also take advantage of the Raphael overlapping rule.
Once the structure has been generated, potential distribution, capacitance and
inductance are calculated. The structure contains nonrectangular metal lines with
round or beveled corners to illustrate how nonplanar geometries are created.
Refer to the output listing in Figure 2-11 for the statements. Refer to the graphical
output in Figure 2-13 for visualization of the structure. The first step is to create
the dielectric layer that contains the metal lines. This is done at Line 5 using a
POLY command. To illustrate the ability of the program to handle nonplanar struc-
tures, the oxide on the left half of the device is made thicker than the oxide on the
right half. To create the polygon, the name dielect is assigned and then the vertices
of the polygon are entered as x,y pairs. Finally, the relative dielectric constant of
the layer is specified as 3, using the DIEL parameter.
The ground plane is created next using another POLY command. In this case, the
polygon is designated as an electrode by specifying the voltage with the VOLT
parameter. The voltage specified is used during the POTENTIAL calculation.
Refer to Figure 2-13; electrodes 1, 2, and 3 appear from left to right across the
structure. Electrode number 1 is created using three geometric elements: a BOX
and two CIRC1 at lines 9, 10, and 11. The BOX is used for the central square por-
tion of the electrode and the CIRC1s are used to round off the ends. The BOX is
defined by specifying its center at CX, CY and its length (in the x direction) and
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height (in the y direction) with l and h, respectively. The CIRC1s are defined by
their centers (CX,CY), radius r, and starting and ending angles (ANG1 and ANG2,
respectively). As all three geometric elements were given the same NAME, they are
considered the same electrode.
Electrode number 2 is more complex. Another POLY is used to define its basic
shape (Line 13), but a circular portion needs to be cut away from the left edge. To
cut away the left edge, the left edge is overwritten with a dielectric using another
CIRC1 (Line 14). Note that the left edge of the POLY is shifted to the right by
0.05 micron to make sure the CIRC1 fully covers the edge.
For the final electrode (number 3), a POLY is used to create a shape with one
beveled edge.
Line 18 describes the simulation window, or region of the structure to be analyzed.

The dielectric constant for all regions not filled by dielectric or electrode geome-
tries is defined to be unity (or 1.0).
Line 19 defines options to be used during the simulation. In this case, the total
number of grid points is set to 2000. The program chooses a mesh that fits the
structure and contains as close to 2000 grid points as possible. Since no units are
specified, the program uses 10-6 that corresponds to microns.
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2 $ Example RAEXC22
3 $ Three metal lines over a ground plane
4 $ Dielectric layer
5 POLY NAME=dielect; COORD=0,0;0,3.5;3,3.5;3.5,3;7.5,3;7.5,0; DIEL=3;
COLOR=3;
6 $ Ground Plane
7 POLY NAME=grnd; COORD=0,0;0,1;7.5,1;7.5,0; VOLT=0; COLOR=2;
8 $ Metal line 1, with rounded corners
9 BOX NAME=m1; CX=2; CY=2; W=1; H=1; VOLT=1; COLOR=2;
10 CIRC1 NAME=m1; CX=1.5; CY=2; R=0.5; ANG1=90; ANG2=270; VOLT=1; COLOR=2;
11 CIRC1 NAME=m1; CX=2.5; CY=2; R=0.5; ANG1=270; ANG2=90; VOLT=1; COLOR=2;
12 $ Metal line 2, with 1 round and one beveled corner;
13 POLY NAME=m2; COORD=3.05,1.5;3.05,2.5;4.5,2.5;5,1.5; VOLT=2; COLOR=2;
14 CIRC1 NAME=m2a; CX=3; CY=2; R=0.5; ANG1=270; ANG2=90; DIEL=3; COLOR=3;
15 $ Metal line 3, with one beveled corner
16 POLY NAME=m3; COORD=5.5,1.5;5.0,2.5;6.5,2.5;6.5,1.5; VOLT=1; COLOR=2;
18 WINDOW X1=0; Y1=0; X2=7.5; Y2=5; DIEL=1;
19 OPTIONS SET_GRID=2000; MAX_REGRID=0;
21 POTENTIAL
22 CAPACITANCE m1; m2; m3;
23 INDUCTANCE m1; m2; m3;
*** POTENTIAL CALCULATION [Coulomb / (1e-06*m)]

Charge on m1 = 4.205075e-17
Charge on m1__1 = 4.442372e-17
Charge on m1__2 = -8.224080e-17
Charge on grnd = -4.588865e-16
Charge on m2 = 4.397302e-16
Charge on m3 = 1.492262e-17
Maximum electric field: 7.331e+06 V/m at 3.017e-06, 1.500e-06
*** CAPACITANCE [Farad / (1e-06*m)] CALCULATION: (C)(V)=(Q)
m1 m2 m3
m1 2.344432e-16 -1.141963e-16 -1.816808e-18
m2 -1.141963e-16 3.179355e-16 -8.194454e-17
m3 -1.816817e-18 -8.194457e-17 1.806286e-16
==> SPICE Models for Entire Capacitance Matrix [Farad / (1e-06*m)]
C_1_2 m1 m2 1.141963e-16
C_1_3 m1 m3 1.816812e-18
C_1_0 m1 GROUND_RC2 1.184301e-16
C_2_3 m2 m3 8.194455e-17
C_2_0 m2 GROUND_RC2 1.217946e-16
C_3_0 m3 GROUND_RC2 9.686724e-17
m1 m2 m3
m1 1.757890e-13 7.300506e-14 3.795363e-14
m2 7.300525e-14 1.474615e-13 6.959921e-14
m3 3.795371e-14 6.959916e-14 2.106375e-13
L_1 m1 m1_y 1.757890e-13
K_1_2 L_1 L_2 4.534385e-01
K_1_3 L_1 L_3 1.972378e-01
L_2 m2 m2_y 1.474615e-13
K_2_3 L_2 L_3 3.949089e-01
L_3 m3 m3_y 2.106375e-13
Figure 2-11 Partial output of Example raexc22. Three nonrectangular metal

lines run parallel to a ground plane with a nonplanar dielectric
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Lines 21, 22, and 23 specify that Raphael perform POTENTIAL,

CAPACITANCE and INDUCTANCE calculations. For the POTENTIAL calcula-
tion, the voltages specified on the electrodes is used and the results are written to
the potential file (which has a .pot extension). For the CAPACITANCE and
INDUCTANCE calculations, the electrodes to be used for the capacitance and
inductance matrices are specified. For this part of the calculation, the voltage val-
ues specified on the electrodes and charges assigned to the insulator regions are
ignored. The net result of the CAPACITANCE calculation is the capacitance
matrix, which in this case has the unit of Farads/micron. (The micron comes from
the unmodeled z dimension). The INDUCTANCE calculation results in the induc-
tance matrix with the unit of Henry/micron.
Note:
higher capacity, and better quality graphics
The DPLOT input file that generated the plots of Figure 2-13 and Figure 2-14 is
shown in Figure 2-12. The file contains only five command lines. The first line
reads in the data created by RC2 from the file raexc22.pot. The data file contains
both the potential distribution and a description of the device structure. The key-
word RAPHAEL informs DPLOT that one of the Raphael programs created the
file. The second line creates a window for the plot 8 cm high, with a title above the
plot. The third line plots the device boundaries (electrodes and dielectrics) as well
as the grid. The fourth line creates a new plot frame (again 8 cm high), and the last
line generates the color-filled contours of potential.
$ Read in the geometry and the potential data
DATA RAPHAEL FILE=raexc22.pot
$ Plot the fram

PLOT.2D TITLE="Example RAEXC22: Structure & Grid" Y.LENGTH=8
$ Plot the structure and grid

STRUCTURE BOUND GRID
$ Plot a new frame

PLOT.2D TITLE="RAEXC22: Potential Plot" Y.LENGTH=8
$ Plot the potential contours

CONTOUR POTENTIAL FILL
$ add the structure and grid

STRUCTURE GRID
Figure 2-12 DPLOT input file dpraexc22 for Example raexc22
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Figure 2-13 DPLOT output showing structure and grid for Example raexc22
Figure 2-14 DPLOT output showing potential contours for Example raexc22
To generate graphics for Taurus Visual, when invoking Raphael Rc2 use the -h
option:
raphael rc2 - h raexc22
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Raphael then generates a file raexc22.tdf which can be read using Taurus Visual.
Simply start Taurus Visual and open the TDF file. By clicking the field and grid
selection buttons, you can generate a figure similar to Figure 2-15.
Figure 2-15 Taurus Visual output showing potential contours and simulation
mesh
Example 3: Current Density and Resistance Analysis

In this example RC2 calculates the current density in a bent metal wire. Such an
analysis might be useful for calculating the probability of electromigration. The
output file for this simulation is shown in Figure 2-16. Also refer to Figure 2-18
and Figure 2-19 for the graphical output generated.
1. Create the wire itself using a single polygon (see line 5). The resistivity of the
material for the wire is set using the RHO parameter.
2. Create contacts to the wire using two BOXes (lines 7 and 8) at each end and set
the bias (voltage) for these two points.
3. Perform the analysis using the CURRENT and RESISTANCE statements.
From the current density plot of Figure 2-19, it is apparent that the highest current
density is at the concave corners where the current must bend sharply. You can
compare the resistance with the value obtained by counting the squares: R=rho *
L /W where L is the length of the path, and W is the width. Given that the path is 1
micron wide, and the length L is approximately 4 microns, it gives a resistance of
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4.0*10-8ohms. The difference between this value and the simulated value is due to
the inaccuracy of the square-counting methods for a bent line.

2 $ Example RAEXC23
3 $ Calculates the current distribution and the resistance of a metal line
4 $ Define the wire (use low resistance)
5 POLY NAME=wire; COORD=0,2;2,2;2,1;5,1;5,2;3,2;3,3;0,3; RHO=1e-8; COLOR=2;
6 $ Define two contacts to the wire
7 BOX NAME=c1; CX=0.5; CY=2.5; W=1; H=1; VOLT=.001; COLOR=3;
8 BOX NAME=c2; CX=4.5; CY=1.5; W=1; H=1; VOLT=0; COLOR=3;
9 $ Define the simulation window (as an insulator)
10 WINDOW X1=0; Y1=0; X2=5; Y2=4; RHO=1e5;
12 $ Calculate the currents
13 CURRENT
14 RESISTANCE
*** CURRENT CALCULATION [Amps]
Current at c1 = 3.134035e+04
Current at c2 = -3.134035e+04
Maximum current density: 5.925e+10 A/m at 2.000e-06, 2.000e-06
*** CONDUCTANCE [Mho] CALCULATION: (G)(V)=(I)
c1 c2
c1 3.134032e+07 -3.134032e+07
c2 -3.134033e+07 3.134033e+07
==> SPICE Models for Total Resistance [Ohm]
R_1_1 c1 OTHERS 3.190777e-08

R_2_2 c2 OTHERS 3.190776e-08
==> SPICE Models for Entire Resistance Matrix [Ohm]
R_1_2 c1 c2 3.190777e-08
Figure 2-16 Partial output file of raexc23 that computes current density in a bent line
$ Read in the geometry and the potential data

DATA RAPHAEL FILE=raexc23.pot
$ Plot the fram

PLOT.2D TITLE="Example RAEXC23: Structure & Grid" Y.LENGTH=8
$ Plot the device structure with electrodes and grids

STRUCTURE BOUND GRID
$ Plot a new frame

PLOT.2D TITLE="RAEXC23: Current Density" Y.LENGTH=8
$ Plot the current density

CONTOUR CURRENT FILL
$ Add grids
STRUCTURE GRID
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Note:
Figure 2-18 Device structure for Example raexc23, with left and right dark
gray areas representing electrical contacts
Figure 2-19 Graphical output showing current density distribution for Example
raexc23
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To use Taurus Visual to display results, use the -h option when running Raphael
RC2:
Raphael rc2 -h raexc23
A TDF file raexc23.tdf will be produced. Simply start Taurus Visual and load this
file and select the mesh and current density field.
Figure 2-20 Mesh and current density for Example RAEXC23 visualized using
Taurus Visual
Example 4: SPICE Model Extraction

In this example, the SPICE command automatically extracts a SPICE model for
an interconnect structure that consists of two metal lines above a ground plane.
The output file from RC2 is shown in Figure 2-21. The two metal lines are defined
by the BOX commands. The ground plane is defined using a POLY element. The
dielectric constant for the lower portion of the structure (containing the conduc-
tors) is set to 3.0, which represents silicon dioxide. The upper portion, above 4
microns, is left as air (with dielectric constant equal to 1).
To calculate the inductance of the structure, you need to invert the capacitance
matrix, which requires that the capacitance matrix be nonsingular. To ensure a
nonsingular capacitance matrix, you must define one of the electrodes as ground
by using the GND parameter in the SPICE statement. The SPICE statement also
defines the file where the SPICE model is stored, using the FILE parameter.
Finally, the resistivity of the conductors is defined using the RHO parameter in the
SPICE statement. The resulting SPICE model is presented in Figure 2-22, and a
graphical representation of this net list is shown in Figure 2-23. RC2 also prints
the calculated capacitance and inductance matrices (per unit length) to the output
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file. Therefore, the SPICE statement is equivalent to performing CAPACITANCE

and INDUCTANCE analyses.

2 $ Example RAEXC24
3 $ Two metal lines over a ground plane
4 $ Generation of a spice model
5 $ Dielectric layer
6 BOX NAME=dielect; CX=3; CY=2; W=6; H=4; DIEL=3;
7 $ Ground Plane
8 POLY NAME=grnd; COORD=0,0;0,.5;6,.5;6,0; VOLT=0;
9 $ Metal line 1
10 BOX NAME=m1; CX=2; CY=2; W=2; H=1; VOLT=1;
11 $ Metal line 2
12 BOX NAME=m2; CX=4.5; CY=2; W=1; H=1; VOLT=1;
14 WINDOW X1=0; Y1=0; X2=6; Y2=6; DIEL=1;
16 $ Assume aluminum lines, 20 microns long
17 SPICE GND=grnd; FILE=spice.out; RHO=3e-8; LENGTH=20;

m1 m2
m1 1.331765e-16 -4.913080e-17
m2 -4.912432e-17 1.061383e-16
==> SPICE Models for Total Capacitance [Farad / (1e-06*m)]

C_1_1 m1 OTHERS 1.331765e-16
C_2_2 m2 OTHERS 1.061383e-16

C_1_2 m1 m2 4.912756e-17
C_1_0 m1 GROUND_RC2 8.404877e-17
C_2_0 m2 GROUND_RC2 5.701073e-17

m1 m2
m1 3.005874e-13 1.425585e-13
m2 1.424953e-13 3.756231e-13

L_1 m1 m1_y 3.005874e-13
K_1_2 L_1 L_2 4.241655e-01
L_2 m2 m2_y 3.756231e-13
Figure 2-21 Output file generated by RC2 for Example raexc24
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.SUBCKT intercon m1_x m1_y m2_x m2_y GROUND_RC2

C_1_2 m1 m2 9.825512e-16
C_1_0 m1 GROUND_RC2 1.680979e-15
C_2_0 m2 GROUND_RC2 1.140215e-15
L_1 m1 m1_y 6.011747e-12
K_1_2 L_1 L_2 4.241655e-01
L_2 m2 m2_y 7.512462e-12
R_1 m1_x m1 5.000000e-01
R_2 m2_x m2 8.000000e-01
.ENDS intercon
Figure 2-22 SPICE subcircuit created by Example raexc24
m1_x R1 m1 L1 m1_y
C_1_2
C_1_0 K12
m2_x R2 m2 m2_y
L2
C_2_0
GROUND_RC2
Figure 2-23 Graphical representation of the SPICE subcircuit created by
Example raexc24
Example 5: Floating Conductors

In this example, the simulation of a floating conductor is considered. Where the
capacitances of the three-conductor system in Figure 2-22 are computed with the
center conductor, m2, possessing zero fixed charges. The partial listing of the out-
put file is shown in Figure 2-23.
10 μm 10 μm
2 μm
m1 m2 m3
(floating Conductor)
Figure 2-24 Three equal-sized rectangular conductors running parallel to
each other with equal spacing
The computed voltage on the floated conductor, m2 was 0.498 V, which is very
close to the exact value of 0.5 V. The equivalent capacitance between m1 and m3
is 11.33pF/m. To verify this capacitance value, the same system is simulated with-
out floating conductors, and the resulting SPICE model is shown in Figure 2-26.
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The equivalent capacitance between the nodes m1 and m3 after floating the node
m2 from Figure 2-24 is 11.352 pF/m, which is very close to the previous capaci-
tance value.
Note:
The command option -n was used to obtain Figure 2-23. If a potential
graphics file is desired or the EXTRACT command is present, the charge
on m2 may not read as equal exactly to 0. The reason is: an extra poten-
tial run would be executed using the derived floating conductor voltage,
and the iterative matrix solver would lead to a small tolerance. That little
deviation can be tightened by setting a smaller ITER_TOL.

2 $ Example RAEXC25
3 $ Floating conductor example
4 $ Three metal lines in free space
5 $ Define microstrip spacing, width and other parameters
6 PARAM s=10 ws=10 w2=ws/2 windx=6*s+3*ws ybox=6*windx t=2
7 $ Metal line 1
8 BOX NAME=m1; CX=2*s+w2; CY=ybox/2; W=ws; H=t; VOLT=1;
9 $ Metal line 2
10 BOX NAME=m2; CX=3*s+ws+w2; CY=ybox/2; W=ws; H=t; VOLT=1;
FLOAT=0.0;
11 $ Metal line 3
12 BOX NAME=m3; CX=4*s+2*ws+w2; CY=ybox/2; W=ws; H=t; VOLT=0;
14 WINDOW X1=0; Y1=0; X2=windx; Y2=ybox;
17 POTENTIAL
*** Voltages of Floating Conductors:

Voltage on m2 = 4.965557e-01
*** POTENTIAL CALCULATION [Coulomb / (1e-06*m)]
Charge on m1 = 1.129814e-17
Charge on m2 = 00000000e+00
Charge on m3 = -1.130452e-17
Maximum electric field: 8.565e+04 V/m at 3.065e-05, 2.690e-04
m1 m3
m1 1.129814e-17 -1.130452e-17
m3 -1.130355e-17 1.129802e-17
C_1_1 m1 OTHERS 1.129814e-17

C_2_2 m3 OTHERS 1.129802e-17
C_1_2 m1 m3 1.130403e-17
Figure 2-25 Output file generated by RC2 for Example raexc25
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m1 12.875 pF/m m2
4.922 pF/m 12.880 pF/m

m3
Figure 2-26 The SPICE model of the three-conductor system shown in Figure
2-22 without floating conductors
Example 6: Anisotropic Dielectric Materials

As a final example, RC2 simulates a system with anisotropic dielectrics. While
anisotropy is not supported by either RC2-BEM or RC3-BEM, it can be used to
model the behavior of other devices.
• On-chip interconnects. The epitaxy of the dielectric deposition process causes
the process to be nonisotropic.
• FeRAM devices. Ferroelectric materials used in FeRAM devices possess very
large dielectric constants. Great differences exist between the dielectric con-
stant in the c-axis direction versus the a- or b-axis directions.
To test the accuracy of RC2 for a system with an anisotropic dielectric, the geom-
etry shown in Figure 2-28 is used. This geometry corresponds to a conventional
stripline structure with a sapphire filler. The principal axes-relative dielectric con-
stants for sapphire are 11.6 for ε || and 9.4 for ε ⊥ . For comparison, see analytical
results from conformal mapping theory in Reference [1]. The resulting program
output listing is shown in Figure 2-27.
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1 $ RC2 example
2 $ for comparision with conformal mapping results in
3 $ IEEE MTT-30, No. 8 Aug 1982, pp 1264-1267
4 $ dieletric used is sapphire.
5 $
6 param st=0.2;sw=20.0;wx=sw+10.0*20+10.0*st;sx=wx/
2.0;gw=wx+1.0;
7 param tgy=20+0.3+st;wy=20+0.4+st;sy=0.2+st/2.0+20/
2.0;dh=st+20;
8 $
9 $ Next line defines the sapphire dielectric
10 box name=diel_0;2 cx=sx; cy=sy; w=wx; h=dh; diel=11.6,9.4;
11 $
12 box name=top_gnd; cx=sx; cy=tgy; w=gw; h=0.2; volt=0;
13 box name=bot_gnd; cx=sx; cy=0.1; w=gw; h=0.2; volt=0;
14 box name=strip; cx=sx; cy=sy; w=sw; h=st; volt=1;
15 window x1=0.0; x2=wx; y1=0; y2=wy; diel=1.0;
16 capacitance
17 OPTIONS MAX_REGRID=0;
C_1_1 top_gnd OTHERS 1.041508e-15

C_2_2 bot_gnd OTHERS 1.041507e-15
C_3_3 strip OTHERS 5.039636e-16
C_1_2 top_gnd bot_gnd 7.895237e-16

C_1_3 top_gnd strip 2.519830e-16
C_2_3 bot_gnd strip 2.519828e-16
Figure 2-27 Output file generated by RC2 for Example aniso.rc2
In lines 6 and 7, variables are defined to clarify the structure definition in the sub-
sequent BOX commands. Line 10 defines the properties of the sapphire dielectric.
Two values for the x and y components of the dielectric constant are used: 11.6 for
the x-component and 9.4 for the y-component. The coordinate system of the prob-
lem must be aligned with the sapphire axes to render the dielectric coefficient ten-
sor diagonal.
As designated by the variable gw, the dielectric is as wide as the groundplanes are,
The window width, however, as used in line 15, is set to be 1 micron smaller than
the groundplanes. At the right and left window edge, this setting enforces a Neu-
mann boundary condition and sets the x component of the E field at zero.
The resulting total capacitance from the strip to its groundplanes is

503.96 af/micron. Conformal mapping theory gives a value of 496 af/micron, for a
relative error of 1.6%. Discrepancies may be attributed to the limitations of the
theory, which assumes an infinitesimally thin center strip.
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References Raphael Reference Manual
y ε x = 11.6
20 um 0.2 um ε y = 9.4
20 um
x
Figure 2-28 Stripline structure with sapphire dielectric for simulation in

Example aniso.rc2
References
[1] H. Shibata, et al, IEEE MTT-30, vol. MTT-42, No. 8, pp. 1264-1267, August
1992.
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CHAPTER 3
RC2-BEM: 2D Field
Solver by Boundary
Element Method
3 3
Introduction
The three most widely used numerical techniques for 2D static field solution are
the:
1. Boundary-Element method (BEM)
2. Finite-Difference method (FD)
3. Finite-Element method (FEM)
All three of these methods have been successfully applied to resistance, capaci-
tance, and inductance analysis. However, each method has its advantages and dis-
advantages depending on particular applications. For instance, even though the
FD and FEM methods are, in general, more versatile than BEM and can be
applied to a wide range of applications, they tend to be slower than BEM. To over-
come some limitations of the Finite-Difference method in RC2, RC2-BEM pro-
vides a viable alternative based on the Boundary-Element method. In this chapter,
the terms RC2 and RC2-BEM are used to denote the Finite-Difference and
Boundary-Element solvers, respectively.
The Boundary-Element method used in RC2-BEM is optimized in terms of the

computational efficiency by employing Galerkin’s method in conjunction with the
recently-developed closed-form Green’s function for stratified dielectric media. In
the following section, a theoretical background of BEM implemented in RC2-
BEM is briefly introduced, along with a short comparison of the FD and FEM
methods.
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Theoretical Background Raphael Reference Manual
Theoretical Background
In the Finite-Difference and Finite-Element methods, the potential distribution
must be solved before the charge (or current) distribution can be computed.
Because the unknown potential distribution needs to be solved over the entire
space, a large (but sparse) number of linear system equations is needed. These
methods generally have a poor computational efficiency for structures in open
space or small conducting objects with large spacing.
The Boundary-Element method is based on an integral equation instead of a dif-

ferential equation, and is commonly known as the Method of Moments (MoM).
Unlike the FD or FEM method, BEM directly solves the charge (or current) distri-
bution on the surface of conductors. Unknowns in the BEM method lie only on the
surface of conductors, and the resulting system of linear equations is small (but
dense) compared to the FD or FEM case.
Green’s Function
In a conventional BEM, the Green’s function for stratified dielectric media is used
as a kernel for an integral equation, and the open boundaries of geometry are han-
dled in an exact manner. The expression of this function is obtained using the
image theory, which consists of slowly-converging nested infinite series. Because
the function’s evaluation is computationally burdensome, it becomes a major bot-
tleneck of the conventional BEM approach. Alternatively, the free-space Green’s
function can be used, but additional unknown charges on dielectric interfaces must
be added, resulting in a larger system of linear equations.
In RC2-BEM, a closed-form Green’s function (Reference [2]) is used for stratified

dielectric media. This closed-form Green’s function does not introduce additional
unknowns, and it avoids the evaluation of the nested infinite series by using a
finite number of weighted images. To further improve the performance, Garler-
kin’s method (Reference [3]) is used in RC2-BEM.
FD, FEM, BEM Differences

Perhaps the most important difference among FD, FEM, and BEM is that both FD
and FEM result in a large and sparse matrix, whereas BEM results in a small and
dense matrix. FD and FEM are suitable for complex 3D problems, and BEM is
more suitable for 2D or simple 3D problems.
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Raphael Reference Manual RC2-BEM Command Line Options
A detailed comparison of FD and BEM based on the nature of geometry is pre-

sented in the following table:
BEM FD (FEM)
Modeling of Open Region Excellent Poor
Planar Dielectrics Average Good
General Inhomogeneous Dielectrics Average Good
Unknowns Charge Potential
Modeling of Non-Manhattan Geometry Excellent Poor (Excellent)
Matrix Small & Dense Large & Sparse
Visualization of Fields Poor Excellent
Numerical Efficiency (2D) Excellent Average
Numerical Efficiency (3D) Poor Good
Parallelism Low High
Note:
The comparison is based on the general FD and BEM methods. Limita-
tions of the current version of RC2-BEM are shown in the later section.
RC2-BEM Command Line Options

The syntax of the RC2-BEM command line is as follows:
raphael rc2 -b “[BEM-OPTIONS]” [RC2-OPTIONS] [FILE]
where -b flag in RC2 is used to invoke the BEM solver.
CAUTION
The double quotation marks for the BEM-options are always needed, even if
no additional BEM options are desired. Example:
raphael rc2 -b “” [RC2-OPTIONS] [FILE]
The same input file syntax is used for RC2 and RC2-BEM except for a few minor
differences. These differences are listed in the following section. Please refer to
Chapter 2 for the general input syntax and options.
Options related to RC2-BEM are:

Option Definition
-s m Places a perfect magnetic plane at the maximum x-coordinate of
the window boundaries. This magnetic plane can be used to
model the symmetric geometry with even-mode (symmetric)
excitations.
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Notes on the Current Version of RC2-BEM Raphael Reference Manual
-s M Places a perfect magnetic plane at the maximum x-coordinate of

the window boundaries.
-s e Places a perfect electric plane at the maximum x-coordinate of
the window boundaries. The electric plane is simply a ground
plane and can be used to model the symmetric geometry with
odd-mode (asymmetric) excitations.
-s E Places a perfect electric plane at the maximum x-coordinate of
the window boundaries.
-s B Places perfect magnetic planes at both the minimum and the
maximum x-coordinates of the window boundaries. To better
correlate the results between RC2 and RC2-BEM, this flag can
be turned on.
A proper choice of these boundary conditions, which are discussed in more detail
in Appendix B, can improve the accuracy and/or performance of simulation.
Notes on the Current Version of RC2-BEM

Note:
Read this section before using RC2-BEM.
This section lists the limitations of the current version of RC2-BEM and any dis-
crepancies between the RC2 and RC2-BEM solvers. The potential and capaci-
tance computations are analogous to the current and resistance computations.
Limitations mentioned in this section related to the potential and capacitance anal-
yses apply equally to the current and resistance analyses.
• Nonplanar dielectrics are ignored. The planar dielectrics are defined by box or
rectangular-shaped poly objects whose boundaries are parallel to the x- and y-
axis and whose widths (in x-direction) are at least equal to the width of the
window.
• The graphics files (i.e., <file>.pot and <file>.tdf) for potential or field plots
are not supported.
• The EXTRACT keyword is ignored.
• The keyword CHRG (i.e., fixed charge density in a dielectric element) is
ignored.
• Regridding is not needed. Thus, the keywords MAX_REGRID,
REGRID_TOL, and FAC_REGRID are ignored.
• As in RC2, non-Manhattan boundaries are staircased.
• Because of fast convergence, RC2-BEM uses a smaller default grid (which
can be overridden by the keyword SET_GRID) than RC2.
• When conducting traces are located either above or below a conducting plane
(layer), the conducting plane is modeled as an infinitely wide ground plane
(no unknowns are placed at this plane).
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Raphael Reference Manual Comparison of RC2-BEM and RC2
• When conducting traces are sandwiched by two conducting planes (layers),

the bottom conducting plane is modeled by an infinitely wide ground plane
(no unknowns are placed at this plane), and the top conducting plane is mod-
eled by a regular conducting trace with its width equal to the window width.
Because of this truncation of the top ground plane to a finite width, the cou-
pling capacitance between the top and bottom ground planes may not be accu-
rate.
• RC2-BEM cannot directly handle geometries where a conducting plane is
located between traces. Since the conducting plane electrically isolates the
traces from one side of the plane to the other side of the plane, this type of
problem can be indirectly solved by formulating two separate problems for
each side of the plane.
Most of these limitations are identical to those of RC3-BEM.
Comparison of RC2-BEM and RC2

Three models are constructed in this section to compare the accuracy and simula-
tion time of RC2-BEM with RC2.
• In the first example, three microstrip lines above a ground plane are consid-
ered. Various circuit parameters are computed using RC2-BEM and RC2, and
the results are compared with each other. Then, the short-circuit capacitance is
computed and compared with the measurement data.
• In the second example, three microstrip lines embedded in stratified dielectric
media are simulated, and the results are compared with published results.
• In the last example, the equivalent resistive network among vias is calculated
to verify the current computation of RC2-BEM.
For all examples considered in this chapter, RC2-BEM resulted in more stable
solutions (in terms of accuracy and symmetry), and it ran 3-7 times faster than
RC2. The CPU time given in this section is measured on a SPARC-10 worksta-
tion.
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Comparison of RC2-BEM and RC2 Raphael Reference Manual
Example 1: Microstrip Lines Above a Ground Plane

The three-microstrip line structure shown in Figure 3-1 compares the results from
RC2 and RC2-BEM. The structure represents three equidistant rectangular wires
running parallel to a ground plane. The homogeneous dielectric layer (defined by
the window statement in the input file) is considered for this example. In the sim-
ulations, h1=h2=10 microns, t=1.7 microns, w=10.8 microns, and s varies from 5
to 60 microns.
h2 s w
t
m1 m2 m3
h1 diel =3.5
Ground
Figure 3-1 Three-microstrip line structure
The capacitance, inductance and characteristic impedance are computed at 5-

micron spacing. The partial output file listing is shown in Figure 3-2 for the RC2-
BEM case, and the simulation results are compared in Figure 3-3.
During the simulation, SET_GRID is set to 3000, and regridding is performed

only once in RC2. The solution times were 1.2 sec for RC2-BEM and 8.5 sec for
RC2. The short-circuit characteristic impedance is a vector instead of a matrix,
calculated by grounding all but one conductors at a time.
The maximum difference between the two results, excluding the very small cou-
pling terms, is about 10%. The major source of this difference is due to the trunca-
tion of the open geometry in the Finite-Difference method. This difference can be
reduced by increasing the window size. The window truncation error can be
observed in Figure 2-4. The m2 conductor is farther away from the window
boundaries than the other two conductors, so the matrix elements corresponding to
the m2 conductor match very closely.
The short-circuit capacitance of m2 (grounding all conductors except m2) is cal-

culated with the spacing varied from 5 to 60 microns. Then, the simulation results
from RC2-BEM and RC2 are compared with the published measurement data
Reference [4] in Figure 3-4. As shown in the figure, the simulation results of both
RC2-BEM and RC2 match well with the measurement. Note that the fringing
capacitance plays an important role in this example, which is illustrated by the
dramatic dependency of the capacitance on the interline distance.
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2 $ Example RAEXC26
3 $ Simulation to compare with Lin’s measured results
4 $ Three metal lines over a ground plane
6 PARAM s=5 ws=10.8 w2=ws/2 windx=6*s+3*ws ybox=3.0*windx
7 $ Ground Plane
8 POLY NAME=grnd; COORD=0,0;0,1;windx,1;windx,0; VOLT=0;
9 $ Metal line 1
10 BOX NAME=m1; CX=2*s+w2; CY=11.85; W=ws; H=1.7; VOLT=1;
11 $ Metal line 2
12 BOX NAME=m2; CX=3*s+ws+w2; CY=11.85; W=ws; H=1.7; VOLT=1;
13 $ Metal line 3
14 BOX NAME=m3; CX=4*s+2*ws+w2; CY=11.85; W=ws; H=1.7; VOLT=1;
16 WINDOW X1=0; Y1=0; X2=windx; Y2=ybox; DIEL=3.5;
20 INDUCTANCE m1; m2; m3;
21 z0 m1; m2; m3;
*** CAPACITANCE CALCULATION [Farad / (1e-06*m)]

m1 m2 m3
m1 1.223114e-16 -4.020077e-17 -3.955884e-18
m2 -4.020077e-17 1.388647e-16 -4.020077e-17
m3 -3.955884e-18 -4.020077e-17 1.223114e-16

C_2_2 m1 OTHERS 1.223114e-16
C_3_3 m2 OTHERS 1.388647e-16
C_4_4 m3 OTHERS 1.223114e-16

C_2_3 m1 m2 4.020077e-17
C_2_4 m1 m3 3.955884e-18
C_2_0 m1 GROUND_RC2 7.815473e-17
C_3_4 m2 m3 4.020077e-17
C_3_0 m2 GROUND_RC2 5.846316e-17
C_4_0 m3 GROUND_RC2 7.815473e-17

m1 m2 m3
m1 3.589990e-13 1.185723e-13 5.058283e-14
m2 1.185723e-13 3.490899e-13 1.185723e-13
m3 5.058283e-14 1.185723e-13 3.589990e-13

L_2 m1 m1_y 3.589990e-13
K_2_3 L_2 L_3 3.349407e-01
K_2_4 L_2 L_4 1.408996e-01
L_3 m2 m2_y 3.490899e-13
K_3_4 L_3 L_4 3.349407e-01
L_4 m3 m3_y 3.589990e-13
==> Z0 Calculation [Ohm]

Z0 of m1 = 5.102078e+01
Z0 of m2 = 4.493887e+01
Z0 of m3 = 5.102078e+01
Figure 3-2 RC2-BEM partial output listing of raexc26
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RC2-BEM RC2 (FD)
122.31 – 40.201 – 3.956 112.85 – 44.154 – 7.6164

C (pF/m) – 40.201 138.86 – 40.201 – 44.383 138.89 – 44.701
– 3.956 – 40.201 122.31 – 7.6184 – 44.158 112.85
359.00 118.57 50.583 416.10 162.07 92.606

L (nH/m) 118.57 349.09 118.57 162.53 384.26 163.41
50.583 118.57 359.00 92.166 161.99 416.36
51.021 55.367
Zo (Ω/m) 44.939 44.933
51.021 55.361
Figure 3-3 Comparison of RC2 and RC2-BEM for the equidistant three-
microstrip line structure
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Example 2: Inhomogeneous Dielectric Layers

In this example, inhomogeneous dielectric media are considered. The geometry of
the simulated structure is shown in Figure 3-5, and the partial listing of the output
file is shown in Figure 3-6. The computed capacitance values are compared with
the published results in Figure 3-7.
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The solution time is 1.9 sec for RC2-BEM and 5.3 sec for RC2 on a SPARC-10
workstation. Overall, the simulation data agree well with the published results.
Capacitance (nF/m) vs. Spacing

0.14
RC2-BEM
0.13 RC2 (FD)

Capacitance (nF/m) Measurement
0.12
0.11
0.10
0.09
5 15 25 35 45 55
Spacing (microns)
Figure 3-4 Short circuit capacitance of line m2 plotted against interwire

distance
diel = 1.0
350 μm
m2 m3
70 μm
100 μm m1 diel = 3.2
200 μm diel = 4.3

150 μm 150 μm
Ground
Figure 3-5 Three rectangular wires immersed in stratified dielectric media
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2 $ Example RAEXC27
3 $ Simulation to compare with Oh’s and Delbare’s simulated data
4 $ Three metal lines in a multilayered dielectric medium.
6 PARAM s=150 ws=350 w2=ws/2 h=70 h2=h/2
7 PARAM windx=6*s+3*ws ybox=3.0*windx
8 $ Dielectric layers
9 POLY NAME=diel1 COORD=0,10;0,210;windx,210;windx,10; DIEL=4.3;
10 POLY NAME=diel2 COORD=0,210;0,310;windx,310;windx,210; DIEL=3.2;
11 $ Ground Plane
12 POLY NAME=grnd; COORD=0,0;0,10;windx,10;windx,0; VOLT=0;
13 $ Metal line 1
14 BOX NAME=m1; CX=2*s+w2; CY=210+h2; W=ws; H=h; VOLT=1;
15 $ Metal line 2
16 BOX NAME=m2; CX=3*s+ws+w2; CY=310+h2; W=ws; H=h; VOLT=1;
17 $ Metal line 3
18 BOX NAME=m3; CX=4*s+2*ws+w2; CY=310+h2; W=ws; H=h; VOLT=1;
20 WINDOW X1=0; Y1=0; X2=windx; Y2=ybox; DIEL=1.0;
*** CAPACITANCE CALCULATION [Farad / (1e-06*m)]
m1 m2 m3
m1 1.418150e-16 -2.171567e-17 -9.024094e-19
m2 -2.171567e-17 9.349853e-17 -1.806908e-17
m3 -9.024094e-19 -1.806908e-17 8.793788e-17
C_2_2 m1 OTHERS 1.418150e-16

C_3_3 m2 OTHERS 9.349853e-17
C_4_4 m3 OTHERS 8.793788e-17
C_2_3 m1 m2 2.171567e-17
C_2_4 m1 m3 9.024094e-19
C_2_0 m1 GROUND_RC2 1.191969e-16
C_3_4 m2 m3 1.806908e-17
C_3_0 m2 GROUND_RC2 5.371378e-17
C_4_0 m3 GROUND_RC2 6.896639e-17
Figure 3-6 RC2-BEM partial output listing of raexc27, which simulates three-
microstrip lines embedded in stratified dielectric media
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Capacitance (pF/m)
139.48 – 23.461 – 1.8939

RC2 (FD) – 23.685 94.598 – 19.890
– 1.8188 – 19.516 85.477
141.82 – 21.716 – 0.9024

RC2-BEM – 21.716 93.499 – 18.069
– 0.9024 – 18.069 87.938
141.41 – 21.492 – 0.8952

Reference [2] – 21.491 92.951 – 17.859
– 0.8952 – 17.859 87.494
142.09 – 21.765 – 0.8920

Reference [5] – 21.733 93.529 – 18.098
– 0.8900 – 18.087 87.962
Figure 3-7 Comparison of RC2 and RC2-BEM for Figure 3-5
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Example 3: Modeling of the Power-Plane Resistance

In this example, the resistances among three vias on a power-plane are calculated.
To simplify the problem, the vias are modeled by rectangular bars. As shown in
Figure 3-8, each via’s cross section is an equipotential area. All three vias are
equally spaced with center-to-center spacing of 100 mm. The conductivity of the
resistive sheet is 57.6 MS/m (copper). The 2D representation of this problem is
shown in Figure 3-9. (Note that the drawing is not properly scaled) A partial list-
ing of the output file is given in Figure 3-10. The simulation results from RC2-
BEM and RC2 are compared in Figure 3-11.
Again, the results match well with each other. The simulation time is 0.33 sec for
RC2-BEM and 17.5 sec for RC2.
Width, Length = 2 μm
Thickness = 1 μm
Figure 3-8 Three rectangular vias on a planar resistive sheet
m1 RHO = 0.0173611
4 μm
m2 4 μm m3
100 μm
Figure 3-9 2D modeling of the three-via geometry shown in Figure 3-8
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2 $ Example RAEXC28
3 $ Simulation to compare the resistance values from the finite-difference
4 $ method and the boundary element method.
5 $ The ground resistances between three retangular vias.
6 PARAM width=2 s=100 s2=50 offset=2*s windx=2*offset+s windy=windx
7 $ rectangular vias
8 BOX NAME=m1; cx=offset+s2; cy=offset+sqrt(s*s-s2*s2); w=width; h=width;
volt=1.0;
9 BOX NAME=m2; cx=offset; cy=offset; w=width; h=width; volt=0.0;
10 BOX NAME=m3; cx=offset+s; cy=offset; w=width; h=width; volt=1.0;
12 WINDOW X1=0; Y1=0; X2=windx; Y2=windy; RHO=0.01736111;
13 OPTIONS SET_GRID=3000; ITER_TOL=1e-8;
15 POTENTIAL
16 RESISTANCE
Current on m1 = 2.717057e+01
Current on m2 = -5.434114e+01
Current on m3 = 2.717057e+01
*** CONDUCTANCE CALCULATION [Mho]
m1 m2 m3
m1 5.434114e+01 -2.717057e+01 -2.717057e+01
m2 -2.717057e+01 5.434114e+01 -2.717057e+01
m3 -2.717057e+01 -2.717057e+01 5.434114e+01
==> SPICE Models for Total Resistance [Ohm]
R_1_1 m1 OTHERS 1.840226e-02

R_2_2 m2 OTHERS 1.840226e-02
R_3_3 m3 OTHERS 1.840226e-02
==> SPICE Models for Entire Resistance Matrix [Ohm]
R_1_2 m1 m2 3.680453e-02
R_1_3 m1 m3 3.680453e-02
R_2_3 m2 m3 3.680453e-02
Figure 3-10 Partial output listing of raexc28 that simulates the resistances
among three vias
RC2-BEM RC2 (FD)
Conductance 54.341 – 27.171 – 27.171 55.431 – 27.715 – 27.716

Matrix (Mho) – 27.171 54.341 – 27.171 – 27.964 55.287 – 27.323
– 27.171 – 27.171 54.341 – 27.970 – 27.324 55.294
Figure 3-11 Comparison of RC2 and RC2-BEM for the resistance

computation
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Raphael Reference Manual References
References
[2] K. S. Oh, D. B. Kuznetsov, and J. E. Schutt-Aine, “Capacitance Computa-
tions in a Multi-layered Dielectric Medium Using the Closed-form Spatial
Green’s Functions,” IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol. MTT-42, pp.
1443-1453, August 1994.
[3] C. C. Huang, “Two-dimensional Capacitance Calculation in Stratified and/or
Arbitrary Dielectric Media,” IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol. MTT-
42, pp. 501-504, March 1994.
[4] M. S. Lin, IEEE Trans. Comp., Hybrids, Manufact. Technol., vol. 13, no. 4,
pp. 1050-1054, Dec. 1990.
[5] W. Delbare and D. D. Zutter, “Space-domain Green’s Function Approach to
the Capacitance Calculation of Multi-conductor Lines in Multi-layered
Dielectrics With Improved Surface Charge Modeling,” IEEE Trans. Micro-
wave Theory and Tech., vol. MTT-37, pp. 1562-1568, October 1989.
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CHAPTER 4
RC3: 3D Resistance,
Capacitance, and
Thermal Resistance
4
Introduction
RC3, a general-purpose, 3D program for solving Poisson’s equation, is based on
the finite-difference method with an automatically adjustable rectangular mesh.
The linear equations set up by the finite-difference method are solved by the Mod-
ified Incomplete Cholesky Conjugate Gradient method (MICCG), which is a
default method, or by the Incomplete Cholesky Conjugate Gradient method
(ICCG). The combination of the automatic adjustment of mesh and the speed of
linear equation solvers makes RC3 versatile and user friendly. You can use RC3
for any 3D Poisson problem, such as the capacitance and resistance calculation
and steady-state thermal analysis. This includes Laplace’s equation, which is a
special case of Poisson’s equation. RC3 uses two different models for discretiza-
tion of initial Poisson’s equation:
• The first one is based on the nodal representation of the material properties
(default model).
• The second one is based on the elemental representation of the material prop-
erties. The last model is more accurate and useful for Manhattan geometry
structures with strongly varying dielectric constants.
Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of this solver are available.
The syntax of the RC3 command line is as follows:

raphael rc3 [OPTIONS] [FILE]
The syntax of the input file is explained in the next section, RC3 Input File on
page 4-3. If <file> is omitted, RC3 takes the input from the standard input. If no
options are specified, RC3 reads <file>, makes calculations according to the
input, and writes the results to the output file named <file>.out. One other file,
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Introduction Raphael Reference Manual
<file>.pot, is also created and contains the calculated potential or current distribu-
tion as well as a description of the original structure. An additional graphics file,
<file>.tdf, may be created for visualization using the Taurus Visual program.
The following options are interpreted by RC3:
-b Invokes RC3-BEM. See Chapter 5.

-d Forces conductors to always override the overlapping dielectrics.
-i Checks the input file for errors and generates the geometry file if
no errors are found. No calculation is performed.
-p <file> Uses <file> as the potential file name.
-s Sends output to the standard output.
-t Prints out CPU time summary.
-u Appends an output summary to the output file. This summary is
used by RIL for easy parsing of the RC3 output.
-v Invokes Taurus Topography interface. See Appendix E for Taurus
Topography interface.
-w <file> Specify the name of a mesh file which contains the placement of
grid lines in the x, y, and z directions. This mesh file uses a rather
simple syntax:
x <x1> <x2>... specifies the placement of grid lines perpendicular
to the x-axis.
y <y1> <y2>... specifies the placement of grid lines perpendicular
to the y-axis.
z <z1> <z2>... specifies the placement of grid lines perpendicular
to the z-axis.
The position of the grid lines are in the length units specified in
the RC3 input file with the command OPTIONS UNIT.
-W Prints the mesh distribution used in the final step of computation
to the output file.
-x The potential information is not written in <file>.pot.
-j Skip the overlapping rule and considers all polygons in the input
file during the simulation. (Using this option increases simulation
time.)
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-P Replaces the value of the parameters defined in the input file with
“<param new values. For example, -P “w=0.5; h = 0.1” overrides the values
> = of parameters w and h defined in the input file with the new val-
<value> ues, 0.5 and 0.1, respectively
;”
-I Invokes ICCG method for solving linear equation system instead
of the default MICCG method.
-E Invokes elemental model of the Poisson’s equation discretization
instead of the default nodal model.
-N Invokes new RC3 solver with enhanced speed. It does not work
with -w and/or -v options.
-L Prints the content of nets (complex electrodes) in the following
format:
ELECTRODE <Electrode Name> <Electrode Type> <Value>
<Object Name>
<Object Name>
....
ELECTRODE <Electrode Name> <Electrode Type> <Value>
<Object Name>
<Object Name>
....
Where <Electrode Name> is the name assigned to particular com-
plex electrode (net), <Electrode Type> is the type of particular
electrode (COND or FLOAT), <Value> is the value (voltage or
charge) assigned to particular electrode, and <Object Name> is
the name of objects from input file that form the electrode with
name <Electrode Name>.
-H Creates graphic file in tdf format to be visualized by Taurus
Visual (see Creating Graphics Files on page 4-22 for more
details).
This option must be used with -N option.
-T Converts input file into Taurus-Device format for transient ther-
mal analysis (see Interface to Taurus Device on page 4-23 for
more details).
RC3 Input File

The input file statements consist of comments and/or commands. Lines beginning
with * or with $ are comment lines and can be ignored. Sixteen commands are
available in RC3: PARAM, BLOCK, CYLINDER, SPHERE, POLY3D, COPY3D,
MERGE, WINDOW3D, POTENTIAL, CAPACITANCE, CURRENT, RESISTANCE,
THERMORES, TEMPERATURE, EXTRACT, and OPTIONS. A command may be
followed by assignments and/or lists defined in this section and may occupy more
than one line. The input is in free format. Uppercase and lowercase characters are
interpreted differently; i.e., the input to RC3 is case sensitive, meaning any
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instruction is recognized when written with all lowercase or all uppercase letters.
The syntax and usage of each command are described in this section.
The simulation commands in RC3 can be divided into three categories depending
on the types of analyses:
• Electrostatic analysis—POTENTIAL and CAPACITANCE commands.
• DC resistance analysis—CURRENT and RESISTANCE commands.
• Static thermal analysis—TEMPERATURE and THERMORES commands.
The EXTRACT command allows the value of the potential, current, temperature,
or electric field at a given location. It can be used only with the POTENTIAL,
TEMPERATURE, or CURRENT commands.
CAUTION
Each input file can specify only one type of analysis. Raphael allows only one
simulation WINDOW3D and one OPTIONS command. Commands associat-
ed with two different analyses should not be used in the same input file. For
instance, the POTENTIAL and RESISTANCE commands cannot appear at
the same time.
from the last entered command. When the special symbol (+) is at the end of a
line, the following line is considered a continuation line. The symbol is not
required and can be omitted.
Overlapping Rule: When the geometries defined by BLOCK, CYLINDER,

SPHERE, POLY3D, and COPY3D commands overlap, the geometry defined later
in the input overwrites the geometry previously defined in the input file. This
overlapping rule makes it easy to input many structures, such as hollow conduc-
tors and metal lines embedded in dielectric material. In some cases, it is desirable
to make conductors always override dielectrics by using the -d command line
option (see Introduction on page 4-1 for command-line options).
Length Units: By default, all geometrical dimensions are in microns. The default
can be changed with the OPTIONS command.
PARAM
The PARAM command defines variables and their values for later use in the input
file. Variable names must begin with an alphabetic character, but may include any
number of alphanumeric characters. value can be any algebraic expression with
numbers, predefined variables, and functions. The supported functions are:
sin(), cos(), atan(), log(), log10(), exp(), sqrt(), int(), and
abs(). The unit for the values used for the length dimension is specified in the
OPTIONS command. The argument for all trigonometric functions is given in
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radians. This definition of value is valid when used in value arguments in other
commands.
PARAM PARAMETER1=<VALUE>; PARAMETER2=<VALUE>
Example:

value of 4, and y is defined as the exponential of the sum of a and b.
BLOCK
The BLOCK command defines a rectangular box element (right prism with rectan-
gular base). Here vector is the collection of three numbers X, Y, Z, separated by
commas. These numbers are coordinates of a vector on a global coordinate system
(See Figure 4-1).
BLOCK NAME=<NAME>;
{(V1=<VECTOR>; [DIRECTION=<VECTOR>;] HEIGHT=<VALUE>;)
or (V1=<VECTOR>; V2=<VECTOR>;)}
[PERP=<VECTOR>;] WIDTH=<VALUE>; LENGTH=<VALUE>;
(DIEL=<VALUE>,<VALUE>,<VALUE>; [CHRG=<VALUE>;]) or
RHO=<VALUE>; or
(TEMP=<VALUE>; [FLOAT=<VALUE>;]) or
(CTC=<VALUE>; [HEAT=<VALUE>;])}
[COLOR=<VALUE>;]

NAME character Name of the element. NAME must begin with an
V1 vector Coordinates of the center of the bottom of the
block.
Default units: microns
DIRECTION vector Direction vector of the height axis. This vector is
always perpendicular to the bottom and the top of
the block.
Default value: 0,0,1; or parallel to the Z axis
HEIGHT numeric Height of the block.
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V2 vector Coordinates of the center of the block top. The fol-
lowing vector equation connects the geometrical
data.
v2=HEIGHT * (normalized DIRECTION) + v1
PERP vector Defines a vector along which the length of the
block is calculated. This vector is always perpendic-
ular to DIRECTION. (If not, RC3 automatically
projects this vector to the bottom plane, causing
PERP to be perpendicular to DIRECTION.)
Default value: 0,1,0
WIDTH numeric Width of the block.
LENGTH numeric Length of the block along the PERP vector.
VOLT numeric Potential of an electrode element.
units: volt
FLOAT numeric Fixed charge, current, or heat of floating electrode.
Units: coulomb, ampere, or watt
DIEL numeric Relative dielectric constant of a dielectric element.
Use of three values denotes an anisotropic dielec-
tric, with the numbers referring to the X, Y, and Z
components, respectively.
CHRG numeric Optional fixed charge density in a dielectric ele-
ment.
Units: coulomb/unit3 where unit is specified in the
OPTIONS command
Default value: 0
RHO numeric Resistivity of the material comprising the block
(used only for CURRENT or RESISTANCE calcula-
tions).
Units: ohm-meter
TEMP numeric Temperature of thermal electrode (used only for
thermal analysis)
Units: degrees K
CTC numeric Thermal conductivity of thermal conductor (used
only for thermal analysis).
Units: Watt/degrees K-meter
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HEAT numeric Optional heat source density in thermal conductor
(used only for thermal analysis).
Units: Watt/unit3 where unit is specified in the
OPTIONS command
Default value: 0
COLOR numeric Optional color index to be used when plotting this
block.
direction
perp
length
height
Z
v1
Y width
O X
Figure 4-1 BLOCK type geometric element (DIRECTION and PERP are
arbitrarily oriented)
The recommended method to define a BLOCK geometry is:

BLOCK NAME=A;
V1=VECTOR; [DIRECTION=VECTOR;] HEIGHT=VALUE;
[PERP =VECTOR;]
WIDTH =VALUE; LENGTH=VALUE;
Figure 4-1 clarifies the meanings of these parameters.
Note:
DIRECTION and PERP have default values (DIRECTION= 0,0,1;
PERP= 0,1,0), so by default WIDTH, LENGTH, and HEIGHT are aligned
with X-, Y-, and Z-axis, respectively.
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A second method to define a BLOCK geometry uses V2 instead of DIRECTION

and HEIGHT: is:
BLOCK NAME=A;
V1=VECTOR; V2=VECTOR;
[PERP =VECTOR;]
WIDTH =VALUE; LENGTH=VALUE;
In this way, the direction of the block results as the direction of the vector differ-
ence V2 - V1, and its height as the magnitude of this difference.
The first method is recommended because it is more intuitive, especially when the
BLOCK has an arbitrary direction with respect to the global coordinate system.
Examples:
Each one of the following four commands generates a block 5 units long in the X
direction, 3 units long in the Y direction, and 4 units long in the Z direction with
the center of the lower face at (1,2,3).
Note:
The first two, the default directions of (0,0,1) and (0,1,0) are used for
DIRECTION and PERP, respectively.
1. An electrode, biased at 1 volt:
BLOCK NAME=a;
V1=1,2,3; HEIGHT=4;
WIDTH=5; LENGTH=3;
VOLT=1;
2. A conductor:
BLOCK NAME=a;
V1=1,2,3; V2=1,2,7;
WIDTH=5; LENGTH=3;
RHO=2.5*10-4;
3. A thermal conductor:
BLOCK NAME=a;
V1=1,2,3; HEIGHT=4;
PERP=1,0,0;
WIDTH=3; LENGTH=5;
CTC=1; HEAT=0.3;
4. A thermal electrode:
BLOCK NAME=a;
V1=-0.5,2,5; DIRECTION=1,0,0; HEIGHT=5;
PERP=0,0,1;
WIDTH=4; LENGTH=3;
TEMP=310;
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CYLINDER
The CYLINDER command defines a cylinder element.
CYLINDER NAME=<NAME>;
RADIUS=<VALUE>;
RHO=<VALUE>; or
(TEMP=<VALUE>;[FLOAT=<VALUE>;]) or
[COLOR=<VALUE>;]

V1 vector Coordinates of the center of the cylinder bottom.
DIRECTION vector Direction vector of the height axis. It is perpendicu-
lar to the bottom of the cylinder.
Default value: 0,0,1; or parallel to the Z axis
HEIGHT numeric Height.
RADIUS numeric Radius of the cylinder.
V2 vector Coordinates of the center of the top of the cylinder.
If V2 is not specified, it is calculated as:
V2 = HEIGHT * (normalized DIRECTION) + V1
VOLT numeric Potential of the electrode element.
Units: volt
Use of three values designates an anisotropic
dielectric, with the numbers referring to the X, Y,
and Z components of the dielectric constant, respec-
tively.
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Units: coulomb/unit3 where unit is specified in
OPTIONS command
RHO numeric Resistivity of material (used only for CURRENT or
RESISTANCE calculations).
Units: ohm-meter
thermal analysis).
Units: degrees K
CTC numeric Constant of thermal conductivity of thermal con-
ductor (used only for thermal analysis).
OPTIONS command
Default value: 0
The recommended method to define a CYLINDER geometry is:

CYLINDER NAME=NAME;
RADIUS =VALUE;
Figure 4-2 shows these parameters.
direction
v2
height
z v1
radius
y
O
x
Figure 4-2 CYLINDER geometric element
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Example:
CYLINDER NAME=BBB; V1=1,2,3; HEIGHT=4; RADIUS=1;
VOLT=1;
The command defines a cylinder named bbb as an electrode; the base is centered
at (1,2,3); it has a height of 4, a radius of 1, and an applied bias of 1 volt.
Note:
The default direction (0,0,1) is used, so the cylinder is aligned with the Z-
axis.
SPHERE
This command defines a sphere element.
SPHERE NAME=<NAME>; CENTER=<VECTOR>; RADIUS=<VALUE>;

RHO=<VALUE>; or
[COLOR=<VALUE>;]

CENTER vector Coordinates of center of the sphere.
RADIUS numeric Radius of the sphere.
Units: volt
tric, with the values referring to the X, Y, and Z
components of the dielectric constant, respectively.
OPTIONS command
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Units: ohm-meter
thermal analysis).
Units: degrees K
CTC numeric Thermal conductivity of thermal conductor (used
Units: Watt/K-meter
OPTIONS command
Default value: 0
Example:
SPHERE NAME=a431; CENTER=4,5,6; RADIUS=4;
DIEL=3.9;
The command defines a dielectric sphere named a431, centered at (4,5,6) with a
radius of 4, and a relative dielectric constant of 3.9.
POLY3D
The POLY3D command, which can also be abbreviated as POLY, defines a right
prism with n vertices in the polygon base (bottom of the prism) and by extrusion
of this base.
POLY3D NAME=<NAME>; COORD =< X1LOC, Y1LOC; X2LOC, Y2LOC; X3LOC, Y3LOC;
[X4LOC, Y4LOC;] .... [XNLOC, YNLOC;]>
[PERP=<VECTOR>;]
RHO=<VALUE>; or
[COLOR=<VALUE>;]
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COORD vector x1loc, y1loc;x2loc, y2loc;x3loc, y3loc;...:
X,Y coordinates of the vertices of the polygon base

expressed in the local coordinate system with origin
v1 and axis (iloc, jloc, kloc), where:
iloc = jloc x kloc
jloc = normalized PERP
kloc = normalized DIRECTION (see Figure 4-3)
The polygon base lies in the XY plane of this local

coordinate system. A minimum of three coordinate
points should be given.
V1 vector Coordinates of the origin of the local coordinate
system used to define the vertices of the polygon
base.
DIRECTION vector Direction vector of the height axis. This vector
defines the perpendicular of the polygon base.
Default value: 0,0,1, (parallel to the Z-axis)
HEIGHT numeric Height of prism.
V2 vector V2 = HEIGHT * (normalized DIRECTION) + V1.
Represents a shift in the local coordinate system of
a magnitude HEIGHT in the direction specified by
DIRECTION.
PERP vector Used to determine the local coordinate system for
the polygon base. This vector must always be per-
pendicular to DIRECTION. (If not, RC3 automati-
cally projects this vector to the polygon base, which
causes PERP to be perpendicular to DIRECTION)
Default value: 0,1,0 (parallel to the Y-axis)
Units: volts
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tric, with the numbers pertaining to the X, Y, and Z
components of the dielectric constant, respectively.
CHRG numeric Optional fixed charge density in dielectric element
OPTIONS command
Units: ohm-meters
thermal analysis).
Units: degrees K
ductor (used only for thermal analysis)
OPTIONS command
Default value: 0
The recommended method to define a POLY3D geometry is:

POLY3D NAME=NAME;
COORD=X1LOC, Y1LOC; ... ;XNLOC, YNLOC;
[PERP =VECTOR;]
Figure 4-3 explains these parameters.

• The coordinates of vectors V1, PERP, and DIRECTION are expressed on the
global coordinate system XYZ.
• The defaults are DIRECTION = 0,0,1; and PERP = 0,1,0; so that the X-, Y-,
and Z-axes of the local coordinate system are parallel to the X-, Y-, and Z-
axes of the global coordinate system, respectively.
• When the structure is not aligned with the axis of the global coordinate sys-
tem, the definition of the geometry using the vector V2 (instead of using
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DIRECTION and HEIGHT) should be avoided, because it is difficult to have

clear geometrical feeling.
y height
loc perp 3
2
y 4
loc
3
1
4
2 x loc
1
v1
x Y
loc direction
LOCAL COORDINATE SYSTEM X

GLOBAL COORDINATE SYSTEM
Z
Figure 4-3 POLY3D type element with 4 vertices in polygon base
Example:
POLY3D NAME=POLY11; COORD=1,0;10,0;10,2;1,2;
HEIGHT=5.; V1=0,0,0; DIRECTION=0,0,1; PERP=0,1,0;
DIEL=3;
The command defines an extruded polygon named poly11 as a dielectric with a

relative dielectric constant of 3. The polygon is defined by four vertices, with a
height of 5. The origin of the local coordinate system is the same as the origin of
the global coordinate system (V1=0,0,0); the direction perpendicular to the plane
of the polygon is along the global Z axis (DIRECTION=0,0,1); and the PERP
direction is coincident with the global Y direction.
COPY3D
The COPY3D command, which can also be abbreviated as COPY, copies a pre-
defined element to a different location
FROM character Name of a predefined element.
TO character Name of a new element.
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DIRECTION vector Translation vector.
Units: volts
Use of three values specifies that the new element
be made of an anisotropic dielectric material. The
three values refer to the X, Y, and Z components of
the dielectric constant, respectively.
OPTIONS command
Units: ohm-meters
thermal analysis).
Units: degrees K
ductor (used only for thermal analysis).
OPTIONS command
Default value: 0
Example:
COPY3D FROM=POLY11; TO=POLY123; DIRECTION=1,2,3;
VOLT=5.;
The command defines an electrode named poly123, with the same dimensions as
the object poly11. It is translated from the position of poly11 with the translation
vector (1,2,3). The electrode is biased at 5.0 volts.
MERGE
The MERGE command electrically connects the named electrodes (or thermal
electrodes) to create a single electrode. The electrodes may be overlapping, touch-
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ing, or separate. For capacitance calculations, the new compound electrode may
be referred to by any of its component names.
MERGE NAME1; NAME2;...;
Example:
The following command merges the two named electrodes:

MERGE POLY11; POLY123;
Note:
Objects with the same name are automatically merged.
WINDOW3D
The WINDOW3D command, which can also be abbreviated as WINDOW, sets the
simulation window size and physical properties. A reflective (or, Neumann)
boundary condition is applied on the four sides of the simulation window. If the
structure and excitations are symmetric, an input structure can be reduced to one
half or one quarter of the whole structure by using the reflective boundary condi-
tion. This is not usually the case for capacitance simulations because when one
electrode is biased, all the others are grounded causing nonsymmetric bias condi-
tions.
WINDOW3D V1=<VECTOR>; V2=<VECTOR>;

{([DIEL=<VALUE>;] [CHRG=<VALUE>;]) or
([DIEL=<VALUE>,<VALUE>,<VALUE>,;] [CHRG=<VALUE>;]) or
[RHO=<VALUE>;] or
([CTC=<VALUE>;] [HEAT=<VALUE>;])}

V1 vector X, Y, Z coordinates of one corner of the simulation
window.
V2 vector X, Y, Z coordinates of the opposite corner of the
simulation window.
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DIEL numeric Optional relative dielectric constant in the dielectric
element filling the simulation window.
Use of three values causes the window to be filled
with an anisotropic dielectric. The numbers pertain
to the X, Y, and Z components of the dielectric con-
stant, respectively.
Note: The window dielectric defaults to being

isotropic.
default value: 1.0
OPTIONS command
Default value: 0.0
RHO numeric Resistivity of the electrical conductor filling the
simulation window (used only for CURRENT or
Units: ohm-meter
Default value: 1.0e6 or 1.0e4*maximum rho of all
structures, whichever is greater
CTC numeric Optional constant of thermal conductivity of ther-
mal conductor filling the simulation window (used
Units: Watt/K-meter
Default value: 0.026 for air
filling the simulation window (used only for ther-
mal analysis).
OPTIONS command
Default value:0.0
Example:
WINDOW3D V1=0,0,0; V2=10,5,5; DIEL=3.5;
This command defines the simulation domain to be between coordinates (0,0,0)

and (10,5,5). All space that is not occupied by defined objects is filled with a
dielectric with a relative dielectric constant equal to 3.5.
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POTENTIAL
This command calculates the potential distribution and the amount of charge on
each electrode for the given bias. It also creates the potential file <file>.pot, which
contains the potential and electric field data.
POTENTIAL
CAPACITANCE
This command calculates the capacitance matrix for the listed electrodes. If no
names are listed, the full capacitance matrix is calculated.
CAPACITANCE <NAME1>; <NAME2>;...;
CURRENT
This command calculates the current density distribution and total current flowing
at each conductor. The current densities are stored in the file <file>.pot.
CURRENT
RESISTANCE
RESISTANCE <NAME>; <NAME>;...;
This command calculates the equivalent resistive network among electrodes.
Example:
RESISTANCE PROBE1; PROBE2;
Note:
CURRENT and RESISTANCE commands are incompatible with
used in different structures:
• CURRENT calculates current distributions within conductors.
• POTENTIAL calculates potential distribution outside the conductors.
TEMPERATURE
This command calculates the temperature distribution and the amount of heat on
each thermal electrode. It also creates the potential file <file>.pot, which contains
the temperature data.
TEMPERATURE
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THERMORES
This command calculates the equivalent thermal resistive network among the
listed electrodes. (Previously, this keyword was called THERMOCAP.)
THERMORES <NAME1>; <NAME2>;...;
EXTRACT
This command extracts the potential (or temperature) and the three Cartesian
components of the electric field (or current or temperature gradient) at the coordi-
nate point specified by (X1,Y1,Z1). The EXTRACT command can be used only
with the POTENTIAL, TEMPERATURE, or CURRENT commands.
EXTRACT X1=<VALUE>; Y1=<VALUE>; Z1=<VALUE>;
Example:
EXTRACT X1=1.0; Y1=2.5; Z1=1.3;
This command extracts the resulting potential (or temperature) and the electric
field (or current or temperature gradient) at the coordinate point (1.0,2.5,1.3).
OPTIONS
This command sets the values of the options that drive the calculation process.
OPTIONS [SET_GRID=<VALUE>; ]
[GRID_SLIP=<VALUE>; ]
[MAX_ITER=<VALUE>; ]
[ITER_TOL=<VALUE>;]
[MAX_REGRID=<VALUE>;]
[REGRID_TOL=<VALUE>;]
[UNIT=<VALUE>;]
[FAC_REGRID=<VALUE>;]

SET_GRID numeric Total number of grid points to be used in the simu-
lation.
Default: Dynamically set.
GRID_SLIP numeric Maximum allowed distance between a POLY vertex
and a grid point divided by the maximum WINDOW
dimension.
Default value: 10-5
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Raphael Reference Manual Theory of Floating Conductors

MAX_ITER numeric Maximum number of iterations for the ICCG
method.
Default value: 100 or 1% of the number of grid
points, whichever is greater
The default is dynamically set between 10-4 and
10-12, depending on the values of VOLT, DIEL,
RHO, and CTC.
MAX_REGRID numeric Maximum number of regrid operations.
default value: 1 In many cases, setting
MAX_REGRID=0 should be sufficiently accurate.
REGRID_TOL numeric Regrid tolerance. For each regrid step, the amount
of the charge on the conductor that has the largest
charge is compared with the amount of the charge
on the same conductor obtained with the previous
grid. If the difference is less than this percentage
value, no more regridding is done.
Default value: 1.0
UNIT numeric Unit of geometrical dimensions.
Units: meters
Default value: 10-6 in order to scale to microns
FAC_REGRID numeric Multiplication factor for increasing the number of
grid points. For each regrid the number of grid
points is multiplied by FAC_REGRID.
Default value: 1.0
The most important parameter is SET_GRID. This value directly affects the time
and accuracy of calculations. To confirm that a result is accurate, vary this param-
eter and compare the difference in results. If necessary, increase the number of
grid points until the results become independent of this number.
In general, the default values should be acceptable for accuracy.
Theory of Floating Conductors

Refer to Theory of Floating Conductors on page 2-20 in Chapter 2.
Selecting Linear Solver

RC3 filed solver includes set of linear solvers for 3D elliptic problems. All these
solvers are based on Preconditioned Conjugate Gradient (PCG) method with
ILU(p) preconditioners (p denotes the level of fill-in for preconditioner). As the
variant of the ILU(p) preconditioner, a set of linear solvers also includes Modified
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Creating Graphics Files Raphael Reference Manual
ILU preconditioner (MILU). The built-in system provides automatic selection of

the proper linear solver. Manual selection of particular linear solver for RC3 can
be done by using -I and/or -N options on the command line. Below is the
description of the effect of various command-line option on the selection of linear
solver:
• Default behavior (neither -I nor -N options are specified on the command
line) provides automatic selection between MILU(0) and ILU(0) precondi-
tioners for PCG linear solver. This behavior is the default starting from
Raphael version 2002.2. These solvers dramatically outperform old ICCG lin-
ear solver.
• -I option on the command line invokes old ICCG linear solver that was the
only solver of choice before Raphael version 2002.2
• -N option on the command line invokes new PCG linear solvers with ILU(1)
and MILU(0) preconditioners. These solvers outperform default linear solvers
and use fewer iterations to converge. Choice of the particular solver will be
done automatically in accordance with the type of the problem. This option
also invokes new meshing algorithm that dramatically outperforms the old
one (before release 2003.03). This is recommended choice.
• -N -I options on the command line force to use ILU(0) preconditioner for
PCG linear solver as well as new meshing algorithm. This option provides
backward compatibility (with releases 2002.2-2003.09) and adds manual con-
trol for linear solver choice to obtain robust solution for linear problem with
strongly varying discontinuous coefficients (these linear problems may arise
from DC resistance analysis, from steady-state thermal analysis and some-
times from electrostatic analysis).
Creating Graphics Files

RC3 filed solver saves structures and distributions of the physical fields in tdr for-
mat used by TecPlot™ and both “simplified” and “extended” Technology Data
Format (tdf) formats. To save graphic file in “simplified” tdf format, specify -h
option on the command line. This format provides compact graphic files that con-
tain geometry objects, mesh, and distributions of the physical fields (electrostatic
potential, electric field, temperature, current, etc.).
Note:
The main drawback of this format is that when visualizing these files in
Taurus Visual, you cannot hide field distributions in specific regions to
see the detail picture of the field distribution in the region of interest.
To overcome this drawback, the RC3 field solver can create output graphic files in
“extended” tdf format. This format is completely compatible with tdf files gener-
ated by other tools of the Taurus family. Size of “extended” tdf file is an about 4X
bigger than size of “simplified” tdf file.
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Raphael Reference Manual Interface to Taurus Device
Creation of the “extended” tdf file and tdr file is available only with -N option on
the command line and works only for the input files that contain POTENTIAL,
CURRENT or TEMPERATURE commands.
The default extension of the graphic files in tdr format is .tdr, while the “simpli-
fied” tdf format and the “extended” tdf file is saved with extension .tdf and .TDF,
respectively.
Interface to Taurus Device

The interface between Raphael RC3 field solver and Taurus Device allows you to
perform transient thermal analysis. RC3 field solver is used to convert RC3 input
file for steady-state thermal analysis into Taurus Device input files, including
translation of the material thermal properties to format recognized by Taurus
Device program. Taurus Device is another Synopsys product and it requires a spe-
cial license.
Converter is available only in the batch mode and can be invoked by the -T option
on the command line:
raphael rc3 -T input_file.rc3
where input_file.rc3 is the name of the input file in RC3 format. All other
command line options are available with -T option except -v command line
option. Some of the command line option will not affect the program. RC3 auto-
matically detects type of the problem and will not convert input file if electrostatic
or DC resistance analyses are requested in the input file.
RC3 creates two output files with the predefined names RC3_geom_file and
RA2TD. The first file contains description of the same geometry as was specified
in input_file.rc3 and is written in Taurus Device input format. In addition
to geometry specification this file contains specification for physical properties of
the different objects, which are described in Taurus Device format and correspond
to original RC3 input file.To user’s convenience all geometry objects have the ref-
erences to objects from original RC3 input file.
Note:
As a rule, you should not change anything in this file.
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Examples Raphael Reference Manual
RA2TD file is a short file that contains mainly specifications for thermal contacts.
You should modify this file (you have to “uncomment” some lines and reset val-
ues for thermal contacts). Below is a simple example of the RA2TD file:
Taurus {device}
Include (RC3_geom_file)
# Put regrid criterion into regrid command below:
Regrid
#
# Below is specification for contact regions.
#
DefineContact (Region=R_0, isContactRegion=True, Type=ThermalCon-
tact,) # RC3_NAME: contact_B
DefineContact (Region=R_1, isContactRegion=True, Type=ThermalCon-
tact,) # RC3_NAME: contact_A
#
# Below is specification for contact values.
#
# SetValue (value=400) { Contact(Name=R_0, Type=ContactTemperature)
} # RC3_Name: contact_B
# SetValue (value=300) { Contact(Name=R_1, Type=ContactTemperature)
} # RC3_Name: contact_A
#
# Below is the list of objects, which have to be
# modified for transient temperature simulation.
#
#
# Below is a place for proper SOLVE/SAVE commands
#
Save
RC3_geom_file is already included into RA2TD file via INCLUDE command.

Regrid command in RA2TD file requires additional adjustments that cannot to be
done automatically by RC3 field solver. For more details about Taurus Device
input file format, see the Taurus Device User Guide.
To run Taurus Device, you must use RA2TD file as an input file.
Examples
The following examples illustrate the use of RC3 and the DPLOT plotting pack-
age:
• Example 1 calculates the current density and total resistance of a cylindrical
via.
• Example 2 calculates the capacitance and potential distribution in a simple
crossover structure.
• Example 3 demonstrates the floating conductor modeling feature of RC3 by
computing the capacitance of a floating-gate transistor.
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Raphael Reference Manual Examples
Example 1: Current Density and Resistance of a Cylindrical Via

This example calculates the current density and resistance of a cylindrical via con-
necting two metal lines. Analysis of this type is useful in determining if vias add
substantial series resistance. The possibility of electromigration also can be exam-
ined, because the electromigration worsens with higher current density.

2 $ Example RC3EX1 Current density in a via
3 $ Lower metal line
4 POLY3D NAME=conductor_A; COORD=1,0;10,0;10,2;1,2; V1=0,0,0; V2=0,0,5; +
5 PERP=0.0,1.0,0.0; COLOR=0; RHO=1e-6;
6 $ Upper metal line
7 POLY3D NAME=conductor_B; COORD=1,0;10,0;10,2;1,2; V1=0,7,0; V2=0,7,5; +
8 PERP=0.0,1.0,0.0; COLOR=0; RHO=1e-6;
9 $ Cylindrical via
10 CYLINDER NAME=conductor_C; COLOR=0; V1=7,2,2.5; V2=7,7,2.5; RADIUS=1.5; +
11 RHO=1e-6;
12 $ Contact to lower line
13 POLY3D NAME=contact_A; COORD=0,0;1,0;1,2;0,2; V1=0,0,0; V2=0,0,5; +
14 PERP=0.0,1.0,0.0; COLOR=7; VOLT=1;
15 $ Contact to upper line
16 POLY3D NAME=contact_B; COORD=0,0;1,0;1,2;0,2; V1=0,7,0; V2=0,7,5; +
17 PERP=0.0,1.0,0.0; COLOR=7; VOLT=0;
18 $ Simulation window
19 WINDOW3D V1=0.0,0.0,0.0; V2=10.0,9.0,5.0;
20 OPTIONS UNIT=1e-6; SET_GRID=10000;
21 $ Calculate the current density
22 CURRENT
23 RESISTANCE
Current at contact_A = 5.084032e-01

Current at contact_B = -5.084032e-01
Maximum current density: 1.153e+11 A/m^2 at 5.667e-06, 2.000e-06, 2.125e-06
contact_A contact_B
contact_A 5.084032e-01 -5.084032e-01
contact_B -5.084032e-01 5.084032e-01
==> SPICE Models for Total Resistance (in Ohm)
R_0_0 contact_A OTHERS 1.966943e+00

R_1_1 contact_B OTHERS 1.966943e+00
==> SPICE Models for Entire Resistance Matrix (in Ohm)
R_0_1 contact_A contact_B 1.966943e+00
Figure 4-4 Output generated by Example raexc31
The output file generated by RC3 is shown in Figure 4-4. To understand the struc-
ture, refer to the graphical output of Figure 4-6- and 4-7. The two metal lines are
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defined first. Lines 4 and 5 of the output file define the lower metal line. A
POLY3D type element is used to define a simple rectangle with corners at the
points (1,0), (10,0), (10,2), (1,2). Since the PERP vector is (0,-1,0), the rectangle
is in the X-Y plane. Using V1 and V2, the rectangle is extruded 5 units into the Z
direction. The first element consists of a simple box 9 units long in the X direc-
tion, 2 units long in the Y direction, and 5 units long in the Z direction. The origin
of the box is located at (1,0,0). Note that the resistivity of the metal is specified as
10-6 ohm-meter.
The upper metal line is created in a similar way. Only the Y coordinates of the V1
and V2 points have changed. The second metal line is also a box of 9 x 2 x 5 units,
with the origin at the point (1,7,0).
The cylindrical via that connects the metal lines is created at Lines 10 and 11. The
radius of the cylinder is 1.5 units (microns), and the axis of the cylinder is defined
by the line connecting the points V1 (7,2,2.5) and V2 (7,7,2.5). The cylinder, like
the metal lines, has a resistivity of 10-6 ohm-meter.
Lines 13 through 14 define the contact to the lower metal line. This contact has
zero resistance and is necessary to apply the bias voltage to the metal line. Like
the metal lines, a POLY3D type element is used. You see that V1, V2, and PERP
are the same as for the lower metal line. However, the points of the polygon have
been changed to (0,0), (0,1), (1,2), (0,2). The contact is in effect a box of 1x2x5
microns in size with the origin at the point (0,0,0). The contact abuts the first
metal line on the left side. The COLOR of the contact is set to 7 to distinguish itself
from the metal components defined earlier. The potential is set to 1.0 volts
Lines 16 and 17 define the contact to the upper line. This contact abuts the upper
metal line at the left side and is biased at zero volts. The actual values of the bias
voltage used are of no consequence as long as there is some difference in voltage
between the two contacts. This is the case since RC3 conducts a linear analysis
with respect to voltage.
Line 19 defines the simulation window large enough to enclose all the elements
and all significant electric fields. Finally, at Lines 22 and 23, the analysis is per-
formed. The total current is 0.5084 amps and the resistance is 1.967 ohms. The
current densities are written to the file raexc31.pot and are plotted using DPLOT.
Note:
After the current density has been calculated, plots using DPLOT are produced.
The DPLOT input file dpraexc31 is shown in Figure 4-5. First, Line 2 reads in the
data and device structure using the DATA statement. The keyword RAPHAEL tells
DPLOT that one of the Raphael programs (RC2, RC3, or RI3) generated the file.
Next, to generate a plot of the input geometries, at Line 7 all geometric objects
(i.e., the metal lines, via, and contacts) must be selected. The LIT.FLAT lighting
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mode must also be specified. Finally, at Line 9, the objects using the PLOT.3D
statement are plotted. The final plot is shown in Figure 4-6.
In the second plot, you plot a plane through the device with current density con-
tours. For this plot, first (at Line 13) all the geometric objects are selected. It is
specified that they be plotted as WIRE frames. (The device structure must not
obscure the contour plane.) Next, at Line 15, the contour plane using an
EXTRACT statement is generated. The plane is located at z=2.5 microns, and
CURRENT density is specified as the plot quantity.
In Line 17, the contour slice using another SELECT statement is selected. Then, at
Line 19, the two contacts are selected and the LIT.FLAT lighting model is speci-
fied. (The contacts are not large and do not significantly obscure the contour
slice.) Finally, at Line 21, all the objects using a PLOT.3D statement are plotted.
The final plot can be seen in Figure 4-7.
1... $ Read in all data

2... DATA RAPHAEL FILE=raexc31.pot
3... $ plot the input geometry

4... $ Select all objects and use ”LIT.FLAT” surface model
5... $ This is necessary since conductors with non-zero resistance
6... $ are treated as dielectrics
7... SELECT ALL LIT.FLAT
8... $ Plot the objects

9... PLOT.3D TITLE=”Example RAEXC31: Via Structure”
10... $ Plot a current density slice through the object

11... $ Use wire frame model for structure so the slice won’t be
12... $ obscured
13... SELECT ALL WIRE
14... $ Generate the contour slice at Z=2.5 microns

15... EXTRACT CONTOUR CURRENT Z.SLICE=2.5
16... $ Select the slice you just created

17... SELECT TYPE=CONTOUR
18... $ Use the ”LIT.FLAT” mode for the two contacts

19... SELECT TYPE=CONDUCTOR LIT.FLAT
20... $ Plot
21... PLOT.3D TITLE=”RAEXC31: Current Density in Via”
22... QUIT
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Figure 4-6 Structure for Example raexc31
Figure 4-7 Current density in 3D via structure for Example raexc31
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Taurus Visual can also be used to visualize results from Raphael RC3. When run-
ning RC3, specify the -h option to generate a TDF file which can be read in Tau-
rus Visual. For example:
raphael rc3 -h raex3c1
The file raex3c1.tdf is generated. Next start Taurus Visual and open the file and
use the mouse to rotate the structure to the desired viewing angle. Figure 4-8
shows example graphics from Taurus Visual for this example.
Figure 4-8 Current density in via shown using Taurus Visual
Example 2: Capacitance and Potential Analysis of a Cross-Over

Structure
In this Example, the potential and capacitance for a cross-over structure composed
of three metal lines are calculated. The output file generated by the simulation is
found in Figure 4-10. Graphical output showing the device structure and two dif-
ferent representations of the potential distribution is found in Figure 4-9-, 4-12,
and 4-13. Referring to Figure 4-10, the structure is created using POLY3D type
elements as in the preceding example.
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In this example a dielectric block is created at Line 15 with a relative dielectric

constant of 3.0. The rest of the structure has a relative dielectric constant of 1.0
(the default for the background material).
Figure 4-9 Structure for Example raexc32 generated by Line 6 of dpraexc32
The second and third conductors are examples of more complicated polygons. In
this case each polygon has 12 vertices. In Raphael, the memory is configured
dynamically, so there is no limit on the maximum number of vertices a polygon
may contain. Raphael, however, tries to assign a mesh point to each vertex, so a
large number of polygon vertices may result in long run times. At Line 21, the
potential distribution is calculated. The results are stored in the file raexc32.pot
and are plotted using DPLOT. At Line 22, the capacitance with respect to conduc-
tors CONDUCTOR_A and CONDUCTOR_C is calculated.
Note:
It is possible to calculate portions of the capacitance matrix. (This saves
time for structures with many conductors.) The diagonal terms of the
matrix represent the total capacitance from the named conductor to all
other conductors in the system.
Figure 4-11 shows the DPLOT input file dpraexc32 for Example raexc32. The
graphical output generated by Figure 4-11 is presented in Figure 4-9- to 4-13.
As in the previous examples, Raphael begins by reading in the potential file cre-
ated by RC3. Next, all the objects (at Line 4) are selected and plotted at Line 6.
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Note that the viewing angle has been altered at Line 6 using the angles THETA
and PHI. The finished plot appears in Figure 4-9.
For the next plot, a potential contour slice is created through the middle of the
device. By extracting the contour at Line 11, contours in the plane Z=1.5 are
extracted. The extracted slice becomes a new graphics object named object00. At
Line 13, the newly created contour slice is selected. Finally, at Line 15, the plot,
which appears in Figure 4-12, is generated.
For the final plot, a contour surface equal to 0.5 volts is generated and shown
along with the device structure. The surface (at Line 19) must first be extracted.
As before, the parameters CONTOUR and POTENTIAL are specified to indicate
the type of object and the plot quantity. The contour value (0.5 volt) using the
MINIMUM parameter is specified, and only one surface is extracted by specifying
N.VALUE=1. The 3D parameter indicates a 3D surface to be extracted as opposed
to the contour slices used earlier.
At Line 21, all objects (including the two extracted contours generated by Lines
11 and 19) are selected. The PRINT parameter allows a listing on screen of all the
objects that have been extracted. In this plot, the potential slice extracted by Line
11 must not be deplotted. The first contour object should be deselected in Line 23
by selecting object OBJECT00 and specifying REMOVE.
At Line 26 the representation of the conductors is changed by specifying WIRE

EDGE.VIS and EDGE.COLOR. This causes only the outline of the conductors to
be plotted in color number 2. The final plot is generated by Line 28; it appears in
Figure 4-13.
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2 $ Example RAEXC32 two conductors crossing over two others
3 $ First conductor, a simple block
4 POLY3D NAME=conductor_a; COORD=4,0;9,0;9,1;4,1; V1=0,0,0; V2=0,0,5; +
5 PERP=0.0,1.0,0.0; VOLT=0;
6 $ Second conductor crosses over the first
7 POLY3D NAME=conductor_b; +
8 COORD=0,0;2,0;4,2;9,2;11,0;12,0;12,1;11.5,1;9,3;4,3;2,1;0,1; V1=0,0,0; +
9 V2=0,0,2; PERP=0.0,1.0,0.0; VOLT=1;
10 $ Third conductor crosses over the first, next to the second
11 POLY3D NAME=conductor_c; +
12 COORD=0,0;2,0;4,2;9,2;11,0;12,0;12,1;11.5,1;9,3;4,3;2,1;0,1; V1=0,0,3; +
13 V2=0,0,5; PERP=0.0,1.0,0.0; VOLT=0;
14 $ Nitride block (shows how multiple dielectrics are used)
15 POLY3D NAME=nitride2; COORD=4,1;9,1;9,2;4,2; V1=0,0,0; V2=0,0,5; +
16 PERP=0.0,1.0,0.0; DIEL=3;
18 WINDOW3D V1=0.0,0.0,0.0; V2=12.0,5.0,5.0;
19 OPTIONS UNIT=1e-6; SET_GRID=8000;
20 $ Do the analysis
21 POTENTIAL
22 CAPACITANCE conductor_a; conductor_c;
*** POTENTIAL CALCULATION [Coulombs]
Charge on conductor_a = -3.948775e-16

Charge on conductor_b = 6.316414e-16
Charge on conductor_c = -2.367658e-16
Maximum electric field: 1.356e+06 V/m at 9.500e-06, 1.500e-06, 2.000e-06
*** CAPACITANCE [Farad] CALCULATION: (C)(V)=(Q)
conductor_a conductor_c
conductor_a 7.916002e-16 -3.978118e-16
conductor_c -3.948772e-16 6.316384e-16
==> SPICE Models for Total Capacitance (in Farad)
C_0_0 conductor_a OTHERS 7.916002e-16

C_1_1 conductor_c OTHERS 6.316384e-16
==> SPICE Models for Entire Capacitance Matrix (in Farad)
C_0_1 conductor_a conductor_c 3.963445e-16

C_0_0 conductor_a GROUND_RC3 3.952557e-16
C_1_0 conductor_c GROUND_RC3 2.352939e-16
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1... $ Read in the data

2... DATA RAPH FILE=raexc32.pot
3... $ Plot the device structure, first select all the objects
4... SELECT ALL
5... $ Plot the objects

6... PLOT.3D THET=70 PHI=30 TITLE=”Example RAEXC32: Device Structure”
7... $ Plot the structure with a color-filled contour slice

8... $ showing potential within the device
9... $ First extract the contour plane at Z=1.5
10... $ The extracted contour will be named ”object00”
11... EXTRACT CONTOUR POT Z.SLICE=1.5
12... $ Now select the contour (previously selected objects remain)

13... SELECT TYPE=CONTOUR
14... $ Plot all objects
15... PLOT.3D THET=80 PHI=30 TITLE=”RAEXC32: Structure & Contour Slice”
16... $ Plot the structure with a potential surface

17... $ First extract the surface with potential=0.5 Volts
18... $ This surface will be named ”object01”
19... EXTRACT CONTOUR POT MIN=.5 N.VAL=1 3D
20... $ Select all objects and get a listing of them

21... SELECT ALL PRINT
22... $ De-select the contour slice

23... SELECT REM NAME=OBJECT00
24... $ Change the plotting mode for the conductors so that only
25... $ their edges are visible
26... SELECT TYPE=CONDUCTOR WIRE EDGE.VIS EDGE.COL=2
27... $ Plot all objects

28... PLOT.3D PHI=110 TITLE=”RAEXC32: Structure & 0.5V Surface”
Figure 4-11 DPLOT file dpraexc32 for Example raexc32
Note:
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Figure 4-12 DPLOT graphical output generated by Line 15 of file dpraexc32
Figure 4-13 Structure and 0.5 volt surface for Example raexc32
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Example 3: Floating-Gate Transistor

Figure 4-14, shows a floating-gate transistor example, which is often used in a
flash memory design. Although the simulation accounts for the existence of the
floating poly, the goal is to find the equivalent capacitance between the metal and
ground.
0.8
Medium
2 metal
(Oxide:DIEL=3.9)
0.4
0.5 poly (floating)
0.5
ground (silicon)
Figure 4-14 Floating-gate transistor
A partial listing of the output file is shown in Figure 4-15. The computed capaci-
tance between the metal and ground is 0.3620 fF. The simulation has been per-
formed using the -n option. Without using this option, the output value of the
charge on the floating poly differs slightly from the specified value due to resimu-
lation and the tolerance in the ICCG routine
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2 $ Example RAEXC33 a floating-gate transistor
3 PARAM w=0.8; t=0.4; l=2; gndt=0.1; h1=0.5+gndt; h2=h1+t+0.5;
4 PARAM offx=3*w; windx=2*offx+w; offy=3*l; windy=2*offy+l; windz=5*h2;
5 $ poly
6 BLOCK NAME=poly1; VOLT=1; FLOAT=0.0; +
7 v1=offx+w/2,offy+l/2,h1; +
8 HEIGHT=0.4; WIDTH=w; LENGTH=l;
9 $ metal
10 BLOCK NAME=metal; VOLT=1; +
11 V1=offx+w/2,offy+l/2,h2; +
12 HEIGHT=0.4; WIDTH=w; LENGTH=l;
13 $ ground
14 BLOCK NAME=gnd; VOLT=0; +
15 V1=windx/2,windy/2,0; +
16 HEIGHT=gndt; WIDTH=windx; LENGTH=windy;
18 WINDOW3D V1=0,0,0; V2=windx,windy,windz; DIEL=3.9;
19 $ Do the analysis
20 POTENTIAL
21 CAPACITANCE
*** Ref: Default set_grid is 10440.
*** Voltages of Floating Conductors:
Voltage on poly1 = 3.373413e-01
*** POTENTIAL CALCULATION [Coulombs]
Charge on poly1 = 0.000000e+00

Charge on metal = 3.622643e-16
Charge on gnd = -3.622511e-16
metal gnd
metal 3.622643e-16 -3.622511e-16
gnd -3.617351e-16 3.617258e-16
C_0_0 metal OTHERS 3.622643e-16

C_1_1 gnd OTHERS 3.617258e-16
C_0_1 metal gnd 3.619931e-16
To verify this result, the same simulation is performed without floating the poly.
Figure 4-16 shows the resulting circuit model with three capacitors. After floating
the poly node, these three capacitors can be reduced to a single capacitor from the
metal node to the ground node, and the value of this equivalent capacitor is 0.3620
fF.
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metal
metal
0.2343 fF 0.192 fF
poly 0.3620 fF
0.3811 fF
ground
ground
a) b)
Figure 4-16 The circuit model of Figure 4-14:

a) before floating the poly
b) after floating the poly
Example 4: Anisotropic Dielectric Materials

As a final example, RC3 simulates a system with anisotropic dielectrics. While
anisotropy is not supported by either RC2-BEM or RC3-BEM, it can be used to
model the behavior of other devices.
• On-chip interconnects: The epitaxy of the dielectric deposition process causes
the process to be nonisotropic.
• FeRAM devices: Ferroelectric materials used in FeRAM devices possess very
large dielectric constants. Great differences exist between the dielectric con-
stant in the c-axis direction versus the a- or b-axis directions.
To test the accuracy of RC3, the geometry shown in Figure 4-18 is used. This
geometry corresponds to a conventional stripline structure with sapphire as a filler.
Typical principal axes-relative dielectric constants for this material are 11.6 for ε ||
and 9.4 for ε ⊥ . (For comparison, see analytical results from conformal mapping
theory in Reference [1]. A partial program output list is shown in Figure 4-17.
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1 $ RC3 Anisotropic stripline

2 $ for comparision with conformal mapping results in IEEE MTT
3 $ MTT-30, No. 8 Aug 1982, pp 1264-1267
4 $ dieletric used is sapphire.
5 $
6 param st=0.2;sw=20.0;wx=sw+10.0*20+10.0*st;sx=wx/2.0;gw=wx+1.0;
7 param tgz=20+0.2+st;wz=20+0.4+st;sz=0.2+20/2.0;dh=st+20;
8 $
9 $ define the dielectric filler to be sapphire, which is anisotropic
10 block name=diel_0; v1=sx,0.5,0.2; width=wx;length=1;height=dh;
diel=11.6,20,9.4;
11 $
12 $ Now define groundplanes and the strip
13 block name=top_gnd; v1=sx,0.5,tgz;
width=gw;length=2;height=0.2;volt=0;
14 block name=bot_gnd; v1=sx,0.5,0.0;
width=gw;length=2;height=0.2;volt=0;
15 block name=strip; v1=sx,0.5,sz; width=sw;length=2;height=st;
volt=1;
16 window3d v1=0,0,0; v2=wx,1,wz; diel=1.0;
17 capacitance
19 OPTIONS MAX_REGRID=0;
C_0_0 top_gnd OTHERS 1.041500e-15

C_1_1 bot_gnd OTHERS 1.041498e-15
C_2_2 strip OTHERS 5.039391e-16
C_0_1 top_gnd bot_gnd 7.895221e-16

C_0_2 top_gnd strip 2.519737e-16
C_1_2 bot_gnd strip 2.519730e-16
Figure 4-17 Output generated by Example aniso.rc3
In Lines 6 and 7, variables are defined so as to clarify the structure definition in

the subsequent BLOCK commands. Line 10 defines the properties of the sapphire
dielectric block. Three values for the X, Y, and Z components of the dielectric
constant are required. A randomly chosen value of 20 was used for the dielectric
constant in the y direction which is along the axis of the stripline. By symmetry,
ε y must always be zero and hence the resulting capacitance must be independent
of the y component of the dielectric constant. The use of a large value for ε yy thus
serves as an additional test of correct program operation.
Note:
The coordinate system of the problem must be aligned with the axes of
the sapphire so as to render the dielectric coefficient tensor diagonal.
Also note that although the dielectric block has identical size as the simula-
tion window, the strip and groundplanes are defined to be 1 micron longer
in the y direction than the simulation window. Similarly, the window width
in the x direction as used in Line 16 is set to be 1 micron narrower than the
groundplanes. These overhanging conductors have the effect of enforcing a
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Neumann boundary condition at the front, back, right and left window
edges and forcing the normal components of the E field to be zero there.
The resulting total capacitance from the strip to its groundplanes is 503.94 af/
micron. Conformal mapping theory gives a value of 496 af/micron, for a relative
error of 1.6%. Discrepancies may be attributed to the limitations of the theory
which assumes as infinitesimally thin center strip.
z
y
x
0.5
groundplane 1
ε x = 11.6
0.2 ε y = 20
20 strip ε z = 9.4
groundplane 20
Figure 4-18 3D anisotropic stripline geometry for Example aniso.rc3
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CHAPTER 5
RC3-BEM: 3D Field
Solver by Boundary
Element Method
5
Introduction
RC3-BEM provides a viable alternative field solver to RC3 for 3D static field
analysis. The physics of a 3D static field are governed by Possion’s equation. RC3
finds the solution to the Possion’s equation using the finite-difference (FD)
method in which the continuous differential operators are approximated by the
discrete finite-difference operators. RC3-BEM solves Possion’s equation by the
boundary element method (BEM), where a differential equation is first converted
into an equivalent integral equation, and then the integral equation is solved by the
weighted residual method.
The theoretical background of BEM and the comparison of FD and BEM are pre-
sented in the first two sections of Chapter 3, and you are encouraged to review
these sections. In this chapter, the terms RC3 and RC3-BEM are used to denote
the finite-difference and boundary element 3D solvers, respectively.
3D field analysis often involves a large number of unknowns compared to the 2D

case. Because BEM uses a dense matrix requiring much memory and CPU time in
a complicated structure in the 3D case, BEM does not hold a computational
advantage over the FD method. However, as demonstrated in this chapter, RC3-
BEM does perform significantly better than RC3 in simple 3D structures.
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RC3-BEM Command-Line Options Raphael Reference Manual
RC3-BEM Command-Line Options

The syntax of the RC3-BEM command line is as follows:
raphael rc3 -b “[BEM-OPTIONS]” [RC3-OPTIONS] [FILE]
where -b flag in RC3 is used to invoke the BEM solver.
CAUTION
The double quotation marks for the BEM-options are always needed, even if
no additional BEM options are desired. Example:
raphael rc3 -b “” [RC3-OPTIONS] [FILE]
The same input file syntax is used for RC3 and RC3-BEM except for a few minor
differences, and these differences are listed in the following section. For the gen-
eral input syntax and options, refer to Chapter 4.
Currently, only one option is related to RC3-BEM:

Option Definition
-s flag The symmetric plane option. The flag consists of two charac-
ters: the first character defines the boundary condition at the
window’s minimum and maximum x-coordinates, and the sec-
ond character defines the boundary condition at the window’s
minimum and maximum y-coordinates. The character can be
either e, m, M, B, or x:
• e places a perfect electric plane at the minimum x- or y-
coordinate.
• E places a perfect electric plane at the maximum x- or y-
coordinate.
• m places a perfect magnetic plane at the minimum x- or y-
coordinate.
• M places a perfect magnetic plane at the maximum x- or y-
coordinate.
• B places two perfect magnetic planes at both the maximum
and the minimum of x- or y-coordinate.
• x indicates that no additional boundary condition is
imposed.
The perfect magnetic and electric planes can be used to model
the symmetric geometry with even-mode (symmetric) and odd-
mode (asymmetric) excitations, respectively. The magnetic
plane is the default condition at all window boundaries for the
finite-difference solver RC3.
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Raphael Reference Manual Notes on the Current Version of RC3-BEM
A proper choice of these boundary conditions, which are discussed in more detail
in Appendix B, can improve the accuracy and/or performance of simulation.
Example:
raphael rc3 -b “-s BB” [RC3-OPTIONS] [FILE]

means that magnetic planes are placed at all minimum and maximum x- and
y-coordinates of the window boundaries.
Notes on the Current Version of RC3-BEM

Note:
Read this section before using RC3-BEM.
This section lists the limitations of the current version of RC3-BEM and discrep-
ancies between the RC3 and RC3-BEM solvers. The electrostatic analysis
(POTENTIAL and CAPACITANCE keywords) is analogous to the static resistance
analysis (CURRENT and RESISTANCE keywords) and the static thermal analysis
(TEMPERATURE and THEMORES keywords). Thus, limitations mentioned in this
section that are related to the electrostatic (capacitance) analysis apply equally to
the resistance and thermal analyses.
• Nonplanar dielectrics are ignored. The planar dielectrics are defined by box-
shaped or rectangular-shaped poly objects whose boundaries are parallel to
the x-, y- and z-axes, with widths (in the xy plane) at least equal to the size of
the window in the xy plane.
• The graphics files (i.e., <file>.pot and <file>.tdf) for potential or field plots
are not supported.
• The keyword EXTRACT is ignored.
• The keyword CHRG (i.e., fixed charge density in a dielectric element) is
ignored.
• Regridding is not needed. Keywords MAX_REGRID, REGRID_TOL, and
FAC_REGRID are ignored.
• As in RC3, non-Manhattan boundaries are staircased.
• Because of fast convergence, RC3-BEM uses a smaller default grid than RC3.
(The default grid can be overridden by the keyword SET_GRID.)
• When conducting traces are located either above or below a conducting plane,
the conducting plane is modeled as an infinitely wide ground plane, and
VOLT=0 is assumed on that ground plane.
• When conducting traces are sandwiched in between two conducting planes
(layers), the bottom conducting plane is modeled as an infinitely wide ground
plane, and the top conducting plane is modeled as a normal conducting trace,
with its area equal to the xy plane of the window. Because of this truncation of
the top ground plane to a finite width, RC3-BEM may not give accurate
results for the coupling term between the top and bottom ground planes.
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• RC3-BEM cannot directly handle geometries where a conducting plane is

located between traces. Since the conducting plane electrically isolates the
traces from one side of the plane to the traces on the other side of the plane,
geometries can be indirectly solved by formulating a separate problem for
each side of the plane.
Note that most of the limitations shown above are identical to the 2D case (RC2-
BEM).
Comparison of RC3-BEM and RC3

In this section, four models are constructed to compare the accuracy and simula-
tion time of RC3-BEM to RC3:
• In the first example, a single plate over a ground plane is considered. The con-
vergence of the capacitance value and CPU time versus the grid size is stud-
ied, and the results from both RC3-BEM and RC3 simulations are compared
with published results.
• In the second example, the crossover capacitances of two rectangular conduc-
tors are simulated and compared.
• In the third example, a trapezoidal conductor between two ground planes is
considered to verify the RC3-BEM result for non-Manhattan geometry.
• In the last example, the substrate resistance is simulated to verify the resis-
tance computation of RC3-BEM.
It should be noted that RC3 uses the magnetic plane as a default condition at all
window boundaries. In some cases, applying the magnetic plane to exploit the
symmetry of geometry can both reduce the problem size and remove the effects of
an artificial magnetic plane at the open boundary. For better comparison between
RC3 and RC3-BEM, geometrical symmetry is modeled by magnetic planes. The
CPU time given in this section is measured on a SPARC-20 workstation.
Example 1: Single Plate Above a Plane

A single plate above a ground plane shown in Figure 5-1 is simulated for this
example. This model considers the homogenous dielectric layer through the win-
dow statement in the input file. The RC3-BEM partial output listing is shown in
Figure 5-2. In the RC3 simulation, regridding is performed once without increas-
ing the grid points (i.e., FAC_REGRID=1.0).
For both RC3-BEM and RC3, the convergence of the capacitance value versus the
grid size is analyzed, and shown in Figure 5-3. In this simulation, the Galerkin’s
method allows RC3-BEM to converge much faster than RC3. The fast conver-
gence speed of RC3-BEM validates the use of the small default SET_GRID value
for the RC3-BEM solver.
The CPU time versus the grid size is shown in Figure 5-4. Although for a small
number of grid points, the RC3-BEM performed much better than RC3, as the
number of grid points increased, the simulation time for RC3-BEM increased
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more rapidly than that for RC3. For this reason, simulation time must be consid-
ered carefully when applying RC3-BEM.
For this structure, RC3-BEM and RC3 use a default SET_GRID of 441 and
21,112, respectively. The capacitance value converged to 2.554 fF. FASTCAP
gave 2.550 fF (K. Nabors and J. White, IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst.-I, November
1992), and Sun et. al showed 2.408 fF (33rd DAC, 1996).
diel =3.9
l = 10
thickness = 1
w=5
h=2
Ground Plane
Figure 5-1 Single plate above a ground plane (all units are in microns)
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2 $ Example RAEXC34
3 $ Single plate over a ground plane
4
5 PARAM w=5.0 l=10 t=1.0 h=2.0 offx=2*w offy=2*l
6 PARAM windx=2*offx+w windy=2*offy+l windz=5*windy gndthick=0.1
7 $ Ground Plane
8 block name=grnd; volt=0.0;
9 width=windx; length=windy;
10 v1 = 0.5*windx, 0.5*windy, 0.0;
11 v2 = 0.5*windx, 0.5*windy, gndthick;
12 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
13 $ Metal line 1
14 block name=box; volt=1.0;
15 width=w; length=l;
16 v1 = 0.5*windx, 0.5*windy, h+gndthick;
17 v2 = 0.5*windx, 0.5*windy, h+gndthick+t;
18 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
20 window diel=3.9;
21 v1 = 0.0, 0.0, 0.0;
22 v2 = windx, windy, windz;
24 options set_grid=5000;
25 capacitance
*** CAPACITANCE CALCULATION [Farad]
box
box 2.548814e-15
C_2_2 box OTHERS 2.548814e-15
C_2_0 box GROUND_RC3 2.548814e-15
Figure 5-2 Partial listing of output file raexc34 for RC3-BEM
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Capacitance vs. Grid Size

2.8
RC3-BEM
2.75
RC3
2.7 Default set_grid

for RC3
C (fF)
2.65
Default set_grid
2.6
for RC3-BEM
2.55
2.5
4.4E+2
1.0E+3
3.0E+3
7.0E+3
1.0E+4
1.5E+4
2.1E+4
2.5E+4
3.5E+4
6.0E+4
set_grid
Figure 5-3 Convergence of capacitance value versus grid size for single
plate structure in Figure 5-1
CPU Time vs. Grid Size

1000
RC3--BEM
100 RC3
Seconds
10
1
4.4E+02
1.0E+03
3.0E+03
7.0E+03
1.0E+04
1.5E+04
2.1E+04
2.5E+04
3.5E+04
6.0E+04
0.1
set_grid
Figure 5-4 CPU time versus grid size for single plate structure in Figure 5-1
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Example 2: Crossover Capacitance
Free Space m2
Superstrate
m1
8 μm
Substrate
4 μm Ground Plane
Figure 5-5 Two crossover rectangular conductors above a ground plane
In Figure 5-5, the cross-over capacitance of two equal-sized rectangular conduc-

tors above a ground plane is computed. To take advantage of the symmetric struc-
ture, two magnetic planes are placed at the maximum x and y window boundaries
(i.e., the command option -s MM is used). Thus, the calculated capacitance values
must be quadrupled to obtain the true capacitance. The width, thickness, and
length of the conductor are 2, 0.5, and 30 microns, respectively. The relative
dielectric constants of the superstrate and substrate are 4.3 and 3.9. The RC3-
BEM partial output listing is shown in Figure 5-6.
The default grid size is used in the simulation, and the default SET_GRID value is
637 for RC3-BEM and 13200 for RC3. Again, during the RC3 simulation, regrid-
ding is used once. The difference between the results with and without regridding
is about 6%. The simulation time is 2.9 sec for RC3-BEM and 80.3 sec for RC3.
The calculated crossover capacitance matrix is:
m1 0.77450 – 0.08527 (fF) for RC3-BEM

m2 – 0.08527 0.38695
m1 0.80492 – 0.10458 (fF) for RC3

m2 – 0.09679 0.412848
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2 $ Example RAEXC35
3 $ A rectangular conductor crossover above a ground plane
4 $ NOTE: Symmetric planes are used at the xmax and ymax boundaries
5 $ of window
6 PARAM w=2.0 w2=w/2 l=30.0 l2=l/2 t=0.5 h1=4.0 h2=8.0 gndthick=1
7 PARAM off=3.0*l2 windx=off+l2 windy=windx windz=4*windy
8
9 $ Ground Plane
12 v1 = 0.5*windx, 0.5*windy, 0.0;
14 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
15
16 $ Substrate
17 block name=subtrate; diel=3.9;
20 v2 = 0.5*windx, 0.5*windy, h1+gndthick;
21 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
22
23 $ Superstrate
24 block name=superstrate; diel=4.3;
27 v2 = 0.5*windx, 0.5*windy, h1+h2+gndthick;
28 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
29
30 $ Metal line 1
31 block name=m1; volt=1.0;
32 width=w2; length=l2;
33 v1 = windx-w2/2.0, windy-l2/2.0, h1+gndthick;
34 v2 = windx-w2/2.0, windy-l2/2.0, h1+gndthick+t;
35 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
36
37 $ Metal line 2
38 block name=m2; volt=1.0;
39 width=l2; length=w2;
40 v1 = windx-l2/2.0, windy-w2/2.0, h1+h2+gndthick;
41 v2 = windx-l2/2.0, windy-w2/2.0, h1+h2+gndthick+t;
42 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
43
45 window diel=1.0;
46 v1 = 0.0, 0.0, 0.0;
49 capacitance

m1 m2
m1 7.745911e-16 -8.514228e-17
m2 -8.514228e-17 3.871475e-16
C_2_3 m1 m2 8.514228e-17
C_2_0 m1 GROUND_RC3 6.894488e-16
C_3_0 m2 GROUND_RC3 3.020052e-16
Figure 5-6 RC3-BEM partial listing output file raexc35
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Example 3: A Trapezoidal Conductor Between Two Ground

Planes
Top Ground Plane
Free Space
m1
8 μm
diel = 3.9
4 μm Bottom Ground Plane
Figure 5-7 Trapezoidal conductor between two ground planes
This example considers a trapezoidal conductor between two ground planes, as

shown in Figure 5-7. To simplify the problem, the symmetry in the longitudinal
direction is exploited by using a perfect magnetic plane (i.e., the command option
-s Mx is used). Because of this change, the calculated capacitance values should
be doubled to find true answers. The RC3-BEM partial output listing is shown in
Figure 5-8.
In the simulation, to accurately model the trapezoidal shape, SET_GRID is set to

15000 for both RC3-BEM and RC3. The simulation time is 95.4 sec for RC3-
BEM and 52.3 sec for RC3. The simulation time for RC3-BEM significantly
increases because of the finer grid and modeling of the top ground plane. The
computed capacitance matrix is:
m1 1.5427 – 0.1642 (fF) for RC3-BEM

TopGnd – 0.1642 4.6774
m1 1.6147 – 0.1820 (fF) for RC3

TopGnd – 0.1829 2.1580
It should be noted that the top plate capacitance term, C22, for RC3-BEM is larger
than for RC3 due to the fringing effect. The fringing effect is caused by modeling
the infinite-long top ground plane by a finite, window-sized plate.
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2 $ Example RAEXC36
3 $ A trapezoidal conductor between two ground planes
4 $ NOTE: Symmetric planes are used at the xmax boundary of window
5
6 PARAM w1=1.0 w2=2.0 l=20.0 l2=l/2 t=1.0 h1=4.0 h2=8.0 gndthick=1
7 PARAM offx=5.0*l2 windx=offx+l2 offy=8.0*w2 windy=offy+w2
8
9 $ Bottom Ground Plane
10 block name=BottomGnd; volt=0.0;
12 v1 = 0.5*windx, 0.5*windy, 0.0;
14 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
15
16 $ Top Ground Plane
17 block name=TopGnd; volt=0.0;
19 v1 = 0.5*windx, 0.5*windy, gndthick+h1+h2;
20 v2 = 0.5*windx, 0.5*windy, 2.0*gndthick+h1+h2;
21 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
22
23 $ Substrate
24 block name=subtrate; diel=3.9;
27 v2 = 0.5*windx, 0.5*windy, gndthick+h1;
28 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
29
30 $ Conductor
31 poly name=m1; volt=1.0;
32 coord=-0.5*w2,0;0.5*w2,0;0.5*w1,t;-0.5*w1,t;
33 v1 = windx-l2, 0.5*windy, h1+gndthick;
34 height=l2;
35 direction = 1.0, 0.0, 0.0;
36
38 window diel=1.0;
39 v1 = 0.0, 0.0, 0.0;
40 v2 = windx, windy, 2.0*gndthick+h1+h2;
41
43 options set_grid=15000;
44 capacitance

TopGnd m1
TopGnd 2.338676e-15 -8.211564e-17
m1 -8.211564e-17 7.713394e-16

C_2_3 TopGnd m1 8.211564e-17
C_2_0 TopGnd GROUND_RC3 2.256560e-15
C_3_0 m1 GROUND_RC3 6.892238e-16
Figure 5-8 RC3-BEM partial listing of raexc36
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Example 4: Substrate Resistance
Contacts
c1 c2 c3
RHO = 1.0e6
7 μm RHO = 1500 Epi-layer

Bulk
RHO = 5
297 μm
Ground Plane
Figure 5-9 Three contacts over two substrates
In this example, the resistances among three contacts are simulated. Figure 5-9
shows the simulated structure after applying the symmetric plane at the center of
contacts (i.e., the command option -s xM is used). All contacts have the same
size: width =5, length = 5, thickness =1.4, and spacing = 6 microns. The RC3-
BEM partial output listing is shown in Figure 5-10.
In this simulation, SET_GRID is set to 20,000 for RC3-BEM and 60,000 for RC3.
The simulation time is 11.8 sec for RC3-BEM and 17.7 min for RC3. The conduc-
tance matrix is:
c1 9272.8 – 436.26 – 12.127

c2 – 436.26 9299.8 – 436.26 (pMho) for RC3-BEM
c3 – 12.127 – 436.26 9272.8
c1 9930.8 – 482.18 – 15.493

c2 – 483.76 9945.4 – 493.36 (pMho) for RC3
c3 – 16.040 – 482.02 9929.8
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2 $ Example RAEXC37
3 $ Three contacts above two substrate and a ground plane
4 $ Doping resistance computation
5 $ NOTE: A symmetric plane is used at the ymax window boundary.
6
7 PARAM w=5.0 w2=w/2 l=5.0 l2=l/2 t=1.4 s=6.0 h1=297.0 h2=7.0 gndthick=2
8 PARAM off=1.5*(h1+h2) windx=off+3.0*w*2.0*s windy=off windz=4*windy
9 $ Ground Plane
12 v1 = 0.5*windx, 0.5*windy, 0.0;
14 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
15 $ Substrate
16 block name=Bulk; rho=5.0;
20 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
21 $ Superstrate
22 block name=EpiLayer; rho=1500.0;
25 v2 = 0.5*windx, 0.5*windy, h1+h2+gndthick;
26 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
27 $ Contacts
28 block name=c1; volt=1.0;
29 width=w; length=l2;
30 v1 = off+w2, windy-l2/2.0, h1+h2+gndthick;
31 v2 = off+w2, windy-l2/2.0, h1+h2+gndthick+t;
32 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
35 v1 = off+w+s+w2, windy-l2/2.0, h1+h2+gndthick;
36 v2 = off+w+s+w2, windy-l2/2.0, h1+h2+gndthick+t;
37 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
40 v1 = off+2.0*w+2.0*s+w2, windy-l2/2.0, h1+h2+gndthick;
41 v2 = off+2.0*w+2.0*s+w2, windy-l2/2.0, h1+h2+gndthick+t;
42 perp = 0.0, 1.0, 0.0;
44 window rho=1.0e6;
45 v1 = 0.0, 0.0, 0.0;
48 options set_grid=20000 fac_regrid=1.0; max_regrid=1;
49 resistance
*** CONDUCTANCE CALCULATION [Mho]
c1 c2 c3
c1 4.636389e-09 -2.181296e-10 -6.063534e-12
c2 -2.181296e-10 4.649880e-09 -2.181296e-10
c3 -6.063534e-12 -2.181296e-10 4.636389e-09
Figure 5-10 RC3-BEM partial listing of output file raexc37
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2.292 GΩ
C1 C2
164.92 GΩ
0.1133 GΩ 0.1187 GΩ
2.292 GΩ
C3
0.1133 GΩ
Figure 5-11 SPICE model of the substrate resistance using RC3-BEM
In general, the conductance values are very low because of the lightly doped epi-
layer. The conductance between C1 and C3 exhibits the largest difference
between RC3 and RC3-BEM. This difference is mainly due to the window bound-
aries. Fortunately, because this value is so small, the difference can be ignored for
most applications.
The SPICE model representation of the conductance matrix obtained from RC3-
BEM is shown in Figure 5-11. As the figure illustrates, the resistance between C1
and C3 is so large that it is effectively an open circuit.
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CHAPTER 6
RI3: 3D Resistance
and Inductance with
Skin Effect
6
Introduction
RI3 is a computer program for calculating 3D inductances. For a given set of con-
ductors, RI3 calculates the impedance matrix that contains an inductance matrix
and resistance vector. Since the impedance matrix is usually too large for practical
applications, the matrix can be:
• Saved for RI3 post-processing.
• Immediately reduced for specified external nodes at given frequencies. The
advantage of this setup is that the full inductance and resistance matrix is cal-
culated only once, allowing different grounding and power strategies to be
studied in a post-processing step.
This chapter describes the theoretical aspects of RI3, program usage, and simula-
tion examples.
Theory
For inductance problems, a clear understanding of self- and mutual-loop induc-
tance, as well as self- and mutual-partial inductance is required.
Figure 6-1 shows an example of loop inductances. In this example, L11 and L22
represent self inductances, and L12 represents the mutual inductance between the
two loops.
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Theory Raphael Reference Manual
L11 L12 L22
Figure 6-1 Loop inductances
Figure 6-2 shows partial inductances. In this example, L11 and L22 are the partial
self inductances of both wires, and L12 is their mutual partial inductance. Once
the partial inductances are defined, they can be treated as loop inductances
because the voltage and current relationships are the same for both cases. For this
reason, Raphael can use the same circuit model for loop inductance and partial
inductance.
L22
L12
L11 Loop = L11 + L22 -2 * L12
Figure 6-2 Partial inductances
If the current density is uniform in conductors k and m, the partial mutual induc-
tance, Lpkm is Reference [8]:
ck cm
∫ ∫ ∫ ∫
μ 1 dl k dl m
Lp km = ------ ------------ --------------- da k da m Equation 6-1
4π a k a m r km
ak am bk bm
where a k and a m are the cross-sectional areas of each conductor, b i and ci are the
start and end points of each conductor, and r km is the distance between dlk and
dl m , which represent differential elements of length of conductors k and m.
Thus, the partial inductance can be approximated by inductances of thin conduc-

tors (filaments), Lpfij , with P filaments in conductor k and Q filaments in conduc-
tor m
P Q
1-
Lp km = lim -------
P →∞, Q →∞PQ
∑ ∑ Lpfij Equation 6-2
i = 1j = 1
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Raphael Reference Manual Theory
where:
ci cj
∫ ∫
μ- dl i ⋅ dl j
Lpf ij = ----- ------------------- . Equation 6-3
4π r ij
bi bj
All the preceding calculations assume that the current density in the conductor is
uniform. If a conductor has a nonuniform current distribution, with skin effect for
example, the conductor must be divided into small pieces in which the assumption
of uniform current density can be satisfied in each segment Reference [9].
RI3 has a basic current cell called SINGLE_BAR in which the current distribution
is assumed to be uniform. When two current cells are neither parallel nor orthogo-
nal to each other, the current-filament formulation of Equations 6-2 and 6-3 is
used to compute the mutual inductances. For greater accuracy and efficiency, a
current-sheet formulation is used to compute the mutual inductances among paral-
lel conductors where many current filaments can be grouped together into a few
current sheets. An analytic formula of mutual inductances among current sheets is
evaluated directly.
Complex problems with many current cells yield very large matrices. However,
usually only the impedance matrix seen from the external nodes is needed. With
the following procedure, a full impedance matrix with an order the same as the
number of SINGLE_BARs can be reduced to an external impedance matrix with a
smaller order the same as the number of external nodes.
The voltage (Velem) and current (Ielem) of elements are dependent on the frequency
( ω), and they have the relationship:
[ V elem ( ω) ] = [ Z p ( ω) ] [ I elem ( ω) ] Equation 6-4
where the partial impedance matrix (Zp) is a function of the resistance (R) and the
partial inductance (Lp) by the equation that follows:
[ Z p ( ω) ] = [ R ] + jω[ L p ] . Equation 6-5
The above equations relate potentials, currents, and impedances for conductive
elements. In order to express these values on the nodes that define the elements,
the equations must be converted into nodal equations as follows:
V node ( ω) = [ Z node ( ω) ] [ I node ( ω) ] Equation 6-6
where, if A is the incidence matrix:
–1 T –1
[ Z node ( ω) ] = [ AZ p ( ω) A ] . Equation 6-7
The incidence matrix stores geometrical information that relates conductive ele-
ments with the nodes used to define them.
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Program RI3 Raphael Reference Manual
Program RI3
To help understand the operation of the program, the data flow for RI3 is shown in
Figure 6-3.
GEOMETRY
.out
RI3
.geo DPLOT
.mat
EXT. NODES
RI3 REF NODES
FREQUENCY
.out
Figure 6-3 Data flow for RI3
The syntax of the RI3 command line is as follows:

raphael ri3 [OPTIONS] [FILE]
The syntax of the input file is explained in the next section, “RI3 Input File.” If
<file> is omitted, RI3 takes the input from the standard input.
When no options are specified, RI3 reads <file> which contains geometry and
connectivity information, and creates three output files:
• <file>.out contains a copy of the input file and the error messages, if any.
• <file>.mat contains the names of the current elements and nodes, the imped-
ance matrix, and the incidence matrix in binary form. RI3 takes file.mat as an
input for post-processing analysis.
• <file>.geo contains geometry information for plotting.
The following options are interpreted by RI3:
Option Definition
-c <file> Generates an RC3 input <file> to be used in 3D capacitance
simulations.
-g <file> Uses <file> as the geometry file name.
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Raphael Reference Manual RI3 Input File
Option Definition
-i Checks the input file for errors and generates the geometry file if
no errors are found. No calculation is performed.
-m <file> Uses <file> as the matrix file name.
-p Prints “original” resistance and partial inductance values.
-s Sends output to the standard output.
-t Prints CPU time summary.
-w <number> Override the adjacent cell ration in MULTI_BAR to
<number>.
-P “<param Replaces the value of the parameters defined in the input file
> = with new values. For example, -P “w=0.5; h = 0.1” will over-
<value>;” ride the values of parameters w and h defined in the input file
with the new values, 0.5 and 0.1 respectively
-N Invokes new solver with increased efficiency (see Selection of
Extraction Algorithm, p. 6-17 for more details).
Example:
raphael ri3 -c file1.rc3 -i file1
This command checks the input file file1. If there are no errors, it generates the
file1.geo geometry file and the file1.rc3 RC3 input file.
RI3 Input File

The input file statements consist of comments and/or commands. Lines beginning
with * or with $ are comment lines and can be ignored. Twelve commands are
available: PARAM, NODE, PLANE_NODE, SINGLE_BAR, MULTI_BAR, PLANE,
OPTIONS3I, MATRIX, MERGE3I, EXT, REF, and FREQUENCY. An input file
consists of four sections:
• Node definitions with NODE and PLANE_NODE.
• Current element definitions with SINGLE_BAR, MULTI_BAR and PLANE.
• Definition of options for simulation control with the command OPTIONS3I.
• Post-processing commands MATRIX, MERGE3I, EXT, REF, and
FREQUENCY.
A command is followed by assignments defined in this section and may occupy

more than one line. The input is in free format. Uppercase and lowercase charac-
ters are interpreted differently, meaning any instruction is recognized when writ-
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RI3 Input File Raphael Reference Manual
ten with all lowercase or all uppercase letters. The syntax and usage of each
command are described in this section.
from the last entered command. When the (+) special symbol is at the end of a
line, the following line is considered a continuation line. The symbol is not
required and it can be omitted.
PARAM
This command defines variables and their values for later use in the input file.
Variable names must begin with an alphabetic character, but may include up to
300 alphanumeric characters.
PARAM PARAMETER1=<VALUE>; PARAMETER2=<VALUE>; …;
value can be any algebraic expression with numbers, predefined variables, and
functions. The supported functions are sin(), cos(), atan(), log(),
log10(), exp(), sqrt(), int(), and abs(). The argument for all trigono-
metric functions should be given in radians. The unit for the values used for length
dimensions is specified in the OPTIONS command. This definition of value is
also valid when used in value arguments in the following commands.
Example:

value of 4, and y is defined as the exponential of the sum of a and b.
NODE
This command defines a node. A vector is the collection of three values separated
by commas.
NODE NAME=<NAME>; POSITION=<VECTOR>;

[PLANE_NAME=<PLANE_NAME>;]
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NAME character Name of the node. name must begin with an alphabetic
character, but may include up to 10 alphanumeric charac-
ters. This rule applies to all name arguments in other
commands.
POSITION0 vector Position of the node. Nodes are used to define current
elements. Coordinates of the node should be in the center
of the cross-section of the current element defined by the
node.
PLANE_NAM character Name of the plane to be connected by a SINGLE_BAR
E with this NODE. This optional parameter is used for easy
connection of PLANEs with BARs. When PLANE_NAME
is defined in this instruction, a SINGLE_BAR is created
between the coordinates of this NODE and the nearest
node of the PLANE plane_name.
Example:
NODE NAME=N1; POSITION=0,1,1;
The command defines a node named n1 located at (0,1,1) in the global coordinate
system.
PLANE_NODE
This command defines a set of nodes forming a plane.
PLANE_NODE NAME=<NAME>; NORMAL=<VECTOR>; CENTER=<VECTOR>;

L1=<VALUE>; L2=<VALUE>; N1=<VALUE>; N2=<VALUE>;

NAME character Base name of the nodes that form a plane. The
plane is discretized and each node in the plane is
named automatically. The name of each node is
defined by this base name with an additional suffix,
as shown in Figure 6-4.
NORMAL vector Normal vector of the plane. The normal vector must
be parallel to the X-,Y-, or Z-axis. When the normal
vector is parallel to the X-axis (Y-axis, Z-axis), the
horizontal axis in Figure 6-4 is parallel to Y-axis (Z-
axis, X-axis) and the vertical axis is parallel to Z-
axis (X-axis, Y-axis).
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CENTER vector Coordinates of the center of the plane. This refers to
the true center of the plane, even in the middle of its
thickness.
L1 numeric Horizontal length in Figure 6-4 (from the first node
to the last node). See Table 6-1.
L2 numeric Vertical length in Figure 6-4 (from the first node to
the last node). See Table 6-1.
N1 numeric Number of sections in the horizontal direction in
Figure 6-4. There are (n1+1) nodes in this direc-
tion.
N2 numeric Number of sections in the vertical direction in Fig-
ure 6-4. There are (n2+1) nodes in this direction.
Example:
PLANE_NODE NAME=PN1; NORMAL=0,0,1; CENTER=0,0,0;
L1=3.0; L2=5.0; N1=3; N2=4;
The command defines a set of plane nodes named pn1 with its normal oriented in
the global Z-axis, at a width of 3.0 units along the X-axis and 3 subdivisions in
that direction, and a length of 5.0 units along the Y-axis and 4 subdivisions in this
direction.
000_004 001_004 002_004 003_004
000_003 001_003 002_003 003_003
000_002 001_002 002_002 003_002
000_001 001_001 002_001 003_001
000_000 001_000 002_000 003_000
Figure 6-4 Discretization of the plane and the suffixes defined by RI3 (n1=3
and n2=4)
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Table 6-1 Orientation of L1 and L2

normal L1 L2
X Y Z
Y Z X
Z X Y
SINGLE_BAR
This command defines a single bar, the basic current cell unit in RI3. The current
in the cell is assumed to be uniform. A single bar is defined by its width and
height, and by the two nodes that can be arbitrarily oriented. The width direction
should be always parallel to the XY-plane. As an example, if the axis defined by
the two nodes is parallel to the Z-axis, the width direction is parallel to the X-axis.
See Table 6-2 for examples of orthogonal directions. This rule is the same for
MULTI_BAR elements.
SINGLE_BAR NAME=<NAME>; NODE1=<NAME>; NODE2=<NAME>;

W=<VALUE>; H=<VALUE>; [RHO=<VALUE>;]

NAME character Name of the single bar.
NODE1 character Name of the start node.
NODE2 character Name of the end node.
W numeric Width. If not defined, the width of the last defined
SINGLE_BAR is used.
H numeric Height. If not defined, the height of the last defined
SINGLE_BAR is used.
RHO numeric Resistivity of the single bar.
Units: Ohm-meters
Default: If not defined, it is assumed to be 0. How-
ever, if RHO is defined for another element ahead of
this element, the last RHO is used.
Table 6-2 Orientation of w and h

bar direction w h
X Y Z
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Table 6-2 Orientation of w and h

bar direction w h
Y X Z
Z X Y
Example:
SINGLE_BAR NAME=SB1; NODE1=1; NODE2=10; w=.8;
h=1.0;
The example presents a current element of a rectangular cross-section named sb1

that extends between nodes 1 and 10, with a width of 0.8 and a height of 1.0 units.
As the resistivity was not defined, the previously defined value is used. (If it is not
defined previously, it is assumed to be zero.)
MULTI_BAR
This command creates a set of SINGLE_BARs for skin-effect calculation. The
width and height of the outer current cells are smaller than those of the inner cells.
The width and height ratio between adjacent cells is 1 + 6 ⁄ n ( n = NWorNH ) ,
as shown in Figure 6-5, to allow for finer discretization in areas of higher current
density. The multi_bar can be arbitrarily oriented, but the width should be con-
tained in the XY-plane. (See SINGLE_BAR, p. 6-9.)
MULTI_BAR NAME=<NAME>; NODE1=<NAME>; NODE2=<NAME>;

W=<VALUE>; H=<VALUE>; NW=<VALUE>; NH=<VALUE>; or
(FRCTN=<VALUE>)
[RHO=<VALUE>;]

NAME character Base name of the MULTI_BAR. Separate names are
assigned internally to each current cell using suf-
fixes.
NODE1 character Name of the start node.
NODE2 character Name of the end node.
W numeric Width.
Default: If not defined, the width of the last defined
MULTI_BAR is used.
H numeric Height.
Default: If not defined, the height of the last
defined MULTI_BAR is used.
NW numeric Number of divisions in width.
Default: If it is an even integer, it increments by 1.
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NH numeric Number of divisions in height.
Default: If it is an even integer, it increments by 1.
FRCTN numeric Estimated current change ratio between two neigh-
bored current elements. If FRCTN is specified, the
current elements are generated such that the esti-
mated current change between two neighbored cur-
rent elements is equal to the total current in the bar
times FRCTN. The value of END_FREQ is used
in calculating the estimated currents.
If parameter NW or NH is specified, NW or NH
takes the precedence in the corresponding direction,
respectively.
Default: FRCTN has a lower precedence than NH
and
NW.
RHO numeric Resistivity of each single bar comprising the multi-
bar.
Units: Ohm-meters.
Example:
MULTI_BAR NAME=MB1; NODE1=11; NODE2=21;
W=1.8; H=1.0; FRCTN=0.05; RHO=1.0E-8;
In this example, the granularity of the current elements will be determined by

FRCTN such that the percentage estimated current change ratio between any two
neighbored current elements to the total current in the bar is less than 5 percent.
Example:
MULTI_BAR NAME=MB1; NODE1=11; NODE2=21;
W=1.8; H=1.0; NW=5; NH=3; RHO=1.0E-8;
The example presents a current element of a rectangular cross- section used for
skin effect simulations named mb1 that extends between nodes 11 and 21, with a
width of 1.8 and a height of 1.0 units. In the width direction, 5 cell elements were
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requested, and 3 cell elements were defined for the height direction. The resistiv-
ity of the material is 1.0*10-8 Ohm-meter.
h (nh = 3)
w (nw = 5)
Figure 6-5 Discretization of the cross-section of MULTI_BAR
PLANE
This command creates a set of current cells linking the set of nodes created by a
PLANE_NODE command.
PLANE NAME=<NAME>; BASE_NODE=<NAME>; H=<VALUE>;
[RHO=<VALUE>;]

NAME character Base name of the plane. Separate names are
assigned internally to each current cell using suf-
fixes.
BASE_NODE character Base name of the PLANE_NODE that defines the
plane.
H numeric Height (thickness) of the plane.
RHO numeric Resistivity of the single bar.
Units: Ohm-meters
Example:
PLANE NAME=PL1; BASE_NODE=BN10; H=.4;
The command defines a plane named pl1, with a height of 0.4 units and with its
position, orientation, and dimensions defined by the PLANE_NODE bn10.
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OPTIONS3I
This command sets optional values for calculations.
OPTIONS3I UNIT=VALUE; FILAMENT=VALUE; SEGMENT=VALUE;

CRIT_ANGLE=VALUE;

UNIT numeric Conversion factor for geometrical dimensions with
respect to meters.
Default value: 1.0
FILAMENT numeric For nonparallel current cells, the specified number
of filaments is applied to the larger side of each
cell’s cross-section, and the number of filaments in
the smaller side is determined proportionally. For
example, if the width-to-height ratio is 2, and 4 fila-
ments are defined, then 4 filaments are assigned to
the width direction and 2 to the height direction. For
parallel current cells, the aggregate of current fila-
ments on the larger side of the cross-section is
replaced by a current sheet.
Default value: 2
SEGMENT numeric Number of segments in the line integral used in the
inductance calculation for the current cells that are
neither parallel nor orthogonal.
Default value: 6
CRIT_ANGLE numeric When two current cells are almost orthogonal (90 o
+/- crit_angle o), the mutual inductance is
taken to be 0.0 without calculation.
Units: degrees
Default value: 0.0
Example:
OPTIONS3I UNIT=1.0E-6; FILAMENT=2; SEGMENT=6;
In the example, the OPTIONS3I command defines the length unit as microns.
Each SINGLE_BAR is discretized with 2 filaments in the cross section and 6 seg-
ments along the direction defined by the nodes.
MATRIX
This command opens the matrix file and reads its contents into memory. The
matrix file is created by RI3.
MATRIX MATRIX_FILE=<FILENAME;>
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Example:
MATRIX MATRIX_FILE=LEAD_FRAME1.MAT;
The example indicates that the file lead_frame.mat was obtained with a previous
run of RI3 and the information contained in it is used for post-processing analysis.
MERGE3I
This command causes two nodes to be electrically connected or merged. Once
merged, from_node cannot be used in the input file. This command is used to cre-
ate a single ground or reference node.
MERGE3I <FROM_NODE> <TO_NODE;>
Example:
MERGE N33 N55
The command merges node n33 into node n55. Both nodes are now electrically
connected and node n33 cannot be referenced again in the input file.
EXT
This command defines external nodes at which the inductance is calculated (i.e.,
defines the nodes that are the leads of the inductor). node is included in the exter-
nal node list for external impedance matrix calculation.
EXT <NODE; >
To reference a particular node that belongs to a PLANE element, the numbering

notation defined in PLANE_NODE, p. 6-7 can be used. A less cumbersome
approach uses the optional plane field in the NODE command defined in NODE, p.
6-6. The advantage of this method is that it is not necessary to make reference to a
particular node in the plane, because it may be difficult to determine the correct
suffix. Reference should be made to the name of the corresponding node. RI3
establishes the proper connection between NODE and the nearest node in the
PLANE.
Example:
EXT POWER_NODE
The command defines the node power_node as one of the nodes were the induc-
tance and resistance is calculated.
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REF
This command defines at least one ground node.
REF NODE;
There should be at least one reference node (ground node) for each set of contigu-
ous conductors. Since the input allows only one reference node, all the reference
nodes in different conductors should be merged into one node before the reference
node command is executed.
Example:
REF GROUND_NODE
In the example, the node ground_node is grounded to define a return path for cur-
rent.
FREQUENCY
This command defines the start and end frequencies.
FREQUENCY START_FREQ=<START>; END_FREQ=<END>;

{LINEAR=<N>; OR DECADE=<M>;}
The frequency assignment defines the frequencies for which the impedance matri-
ces are calculated. When LINEAR is specified, the frequency range between
START and END is divided into n linear steps, and the impedance matrix is calcu-
lated at each frequency. When DECADE is specified, the impedance matrix is cal-
culated for m frequency points in each decade using a log scale.
Example:
FREQUENCY START_FREQ=1.E9; END_FREQUENCY=100.E9;
DECADE=3;
The command defines the start frequency as 1 GHz, and the end frequency as
100 GHz. Since three decades were defined, the inductance matrix and resistance
vector is calculated at 1, 10, and 100 GHz.
ADMITTANCE
This command calculates the admittance matrix:
ADMITTANCE
If this command is specified, the admittance matrix will be calculated and output.
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Equivalent Circuit Raphael Reference Manual
SPARAMETER
This command calculates the s-parameter matrix:
SPARAMETER <EXT_NODE1>=<value> <EXT_NODE2>=<value>;
<EXT_NODE1> and <EXT_NODE2> are the name of the
External nodes are defined by command EXT. <value> is the characteristic resis-
tance of the corresponding external node in Ohm. The default value is 50 Ohm.
SPARAMETER calculates and outputs the s-parameter matrix.
Example:
EXT n1
EXT n2
EXT n3
SPARAMETER n1=55 n2=45
This command defines the characteristic resistance for node n1 and node n2 to be
55 Ohm and 45 Ohm, respectively. The characteristic resistance for node n3 takes
the default value, 50 Ohm.
OUTPUT
This command outputs the resistance and inductance data in the ASIC TecPlot™
format to a .dat file. If the admittance or s-parameter matrix is calculated by
ADMITTANCE or SPARAMETER, respectively, the corresponding data will be
output along with the resistance and inductance data.
Equivalent Circuit
To use an external impedance matrix ( Z ext ( ω) ) in circuit simulation, a proper circuit
model must be built. The imaginary parts of the impedance matrix Z ext ( ω) repre-
sent self- and mutual- inductances when they are divided by ω. The real parts rep-
resent resistances. However, there can be nonzero real parts in the off-diagonal
entries. Therefore, current-dependent voltage sources should be used rather than
resistors. (In most cases, however, the real off-diagonal components are small, and
a circuit composed of inductors, resistors and mutual inductors can be used). If the
mutual inductance between two lines is L 12 , then the coupling constant K
required by SPICE is K = L12 ⁄ L 1 L 2 , where L 1 and L 2 are the self inductances
of the two lines.
When the inductance and the resistance do not change with respect to frequency,
the equivalent circuit can be used for other frequencies than the frequency at
which the model is built. In other words, the circuit can be used for transient sim-
ulation where the signal has a wide spectrum of frequencies. However, if the
inductance and the resistance are frequency dependent, the equivalent circuit must
be used only over a limited frequency range.
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Raphael Reference Manual Selection of Extraction Algorithm
Two variations of SPICE models are provided in RI3. Please refer to Appendix D
for theoretical treatments.
Selection of Extraction Algorithm

RI3 field solver contains two different algorithms for inductance and resistance
extractions. Command-line option -N is used to select particular algorithm.
Default behavior (-N option is not specified on the command line) uses old algo-
rithm (before release 2004.06) and provides backward compatibility of the pro-
gram with previous releases. Activation of -N option on the command line
invokes new extraction algorithm that demonstrates up to 4x speed improvement
with respect to release 2003.09. This is the recommended choice.
Examples
This section presents four examples to illustrate the use of RI3. Since the output
files of RI3 contain complete copies of the corresponding input files, only the out-
put files are shown:
• Example 1 introduces the use of these programs by showing a comparison of
the simulated results with semi-empirical results.
• Example 2 introduces the use of these programs by showing a comparison of
the simulated results with a skin effect simulation.
• Example3 calculates the inductance of a circular ring above a ground plane.
6 The last example calculates the self and mutual inductance of four wire bond
leads, which might be used in an IC package.
Example 1(raexi31): Inductance of Two Parallel Microstrips

The first example presented in this section corresponds to the inductance calcula-
tion of two parallel microstrips carrying current in opposite directions. The struc-
ture is presented in Figure 6-6. The conductors and the plane that separates them
are very long in the direction normal to the paper, and they transport current in
opposite directions. This structure is of particular interest because it can be used to
compare the numerical value of the inductance obtained by RI3 to Reference [10].
Figure 6-6 Inductance calculation of two parallel microstrips
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For a structure similar to the structure simulated by Raphael, Reference [10] pre-
sents the following approximate formula to calculate the inductance per unit
length ( L ⁄ l ) in [μH/m]:
L 1.26
--- = ----------- × ⎛ ----
d-⎞
⎝ W⎠ . Equation 6-8
l KL1
In Equation 6-8, KL1 is a coefficient that depends on the aspect ratio L ⁄ l . Refer-
ence [10] also presents the coefficient in graphical form.
Figure 6-7 is the RI3 output file raexi31.out showing an example of inductance
calculation of a two parallel-line structure in comparison with Walker’s results. To
facilitate the generation of several similar input files, on Line 6 dith is defined
parametrically to represent the distance between traces. To generate an input file
with a different aspect ratio, only this parameter has to be modified. Lines 8-11
define the nodes, andLines 13-15 define 3 conductors to represent the structure. In
Line 16, two filaments per bar are requested and the units are defined to be
microns.
To obtain the inductance for this case, post-processing is performed with the post
processing instructions in the same input file. The inductance for the whole struc-
ture is 0.72 μH/m (after the proper unit conversions). A comparison for different
aspect ratios is presented in Figure 6-8, where a difference of less than 10 percent
is observed.
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1 * RI3 RUN
2 $ Example RAEXI31:
3 $ Inductance of parallel lines with current flowing in opposite
4 $ directions
5 $ Geometry definition
6 PARAM dith=2
7 $ Define the nodes
8 NODE NAME=n0 POSITION=0,0,0;
9 NODE NAME=n1 POSITION=100,0,0;
10 NODE NAME=n2 POSITION=100,0,dith;
11 NODE NAME=n3 POSITION=0,0,dith;
12 $ Define the current elements which connect the nodes
13 SINGLE_BAR NAME=b0 NODE1=n0 NODE2=n1 W=1 H=0.5
16 OPTIONS3I UNIT=1e-6 FILAMENT=2
17 $ Post-processing instructions
18 $ Define signal node
19 EXT n0
20 $ Define reference (ground) node
21 REF n3
22 $ inductance
23 FREQUENCY START_FREQ=1e4 END_FREQ=1e4 DECADE=1
IMPEDANCE MATRIX
External Node 1 : n0
freq = 1.000e+04 [Hz]
Resistance Vector [Ohms]

n0 : -0.000e+00
Inductance Matrix [Henry]

ext. node n0
n0 7.222e-11
Figure 6-7 Partial listing of RI3 output file raexi31.out showing an example of
inductance calculation
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Inductance per Unit Length [microH/m] Walker [Ref. 4]
RI3 simulated results

2.00
1.80
1.60
1.40
1.20
1.00
0.80
0.60
0.40
0.20
0. 00
Aspect Ratio (d/W)
0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00
Figure 6-8 Results obtained with RI3 compared with Walker’s results for the
inductance per unit length
Example 2 (raexi32): Skin Effect Simulation

A simple structure was selected to illustrate the use of MULTI_BARs to study the
variation of resistance and inductance due to skin effects. This structure consists
of a single MULTI_BAR. The output file raexi32.out showing a partial listing for
RI3 is presented in Figure 6-9 performing skin effect simulations using
MULTI_BARs.
InLines 5 and 6 two nodes are defined, and in Lines 9 and 10 a single multi-bar is
defined. 9 subdivisions were selected in the width direction and 7 subdivisions for
the height. The material for the multi-bar was assumed to be copper, and the cross-
sectional dimensions are 20.0 and 7.0 microns.
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1 * RI3 RUN
2 $ Example RAEXI32:
3 $ Simulation for Skin effect analysis
4 $ conductor
5 NODE NAME=n1 POSITION=0,50,23.5;
6 NODE NAME=n2 POSITION=100,50,23.5;
7 $ Using multibars to study skin effects
8 MULTI_BAR NAME=n1_2 NODE1=n1 NODE2=n2 W=20. H=7. NW=9 NH=7 RHO=1.72e-8
9 $ As the dimensions are in microns define the unit options
10 OPTIONS3I UNIT=1e-6 FILAMENT=3
11 $ Post-processing commands
12 $ of ground and signal
13 $ Signal input
14 EXT n1
15 $ ground
16 REF n2
17 $ Selecting the frequencies for output
18 FREQUENCY START_FREQ=1e8 END_FREQ=1e11 DECADE=3
IMPEDANCE MATRIX
freq = 1.000e+08 [Hz]

n1 : 1.256e-02

ext. node n1
n1 5.137e-11
freq = 2.154e+08 [Hz]

n1 : 1.340e-02

ext. node n1
n1 5.113e-11
Figure 6-9 Partial listing of RI3 output file raexi32.out
To have an appreciable skin effect, the skin depth must be of the order of the
cross-sectional dimensions. For copper, Equation 6-9 shows the dependence of
the skin depth (d) expressed in meters as a function of the frequency (f) expressed
in Hz:
d = 0.0661
---------------- . Equation 6-9
f
As reference values for the skin depth of copper, for a frequency of 0.1 GHz
(108 Hz) this depth is 6 microns, and at 10 GHz the corresponding value is 0.6
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microns. Based on these frequencies and dimensions, both the discretization of the
multi-bar and the frequency range for the post-processing analysis were decided.
The variation of the resistance with frequency is presented in Figure 6-10. At fre-
quencies below 0.1 GHz, the resistance is approximately equal to the DC value for
the microstrip, but above this frequency, its value increases dramatically according
to the reduction in the conduction area. The data for this plot was calculated using
the following parameters of MULTI_BAR statement: NW=18 and NH=9.
Resistance per Unit Length [Ohm/m] x 103

RI3 results
2.00
1.80
1.60
1.40
1.20
1.00
0.80
0.60
0.40
0.20
0.00
Frequency [GHz]
1e-01 3 1e+00 3 1e+01 3 1e02
Figure 6-10 Resistance dependency with frequency for a microstrip
Note:
You may notice that the resistance values differ slightly between Raphael
v98.4 and v4.2. The reason is due to the change of default adjacent cell
ratio in MULTI_BAR. In general, the new default (of 1 + 6 ⁄ N ) gives a
more desirable result. To revert back to the old default, you can invoke
RI3 with -w2 command option.
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Example 3 (raexi33): Circular Ring Above Ground Plane

This example illustrates the basic use of RI3 to calculate the inductance of a circu-
lar conductor above a ground plane. The output file for the simulation can be
found in Figure 6-11, and a rendering of the structure generated by DPLOT can be
found in Figure 6-13.
Starting at line 5, the NODEs are defined. As with most numerical simulation
tools, the more nodes that are used the greater the accuracy and CPU require-
ments. In this example the circle is constructed from eight straight segments. Nine
nodes, each spaced 2p/8 radians apart, are used. The circle is 2 units or 2*10-4
meters (200 microns) in diameter. Each node receives its own unique name. The
starting node (n0) and the ending node (n8) are located at the same spatial posi-
tion. This makes it possible to completely close the circle, and while the two
nodes share the same spatial position, they remain electrically isolated.
At Line 14 a PLANE_NODE, that is really a set of nodes, is defined. The plane is

centered at (0,-1,0) or one unit below the center for the circle. Since the normal to
the plane is in the (0,1,0) direction, the PLANE_NODE lies in the X-Z plane. The
plane has a length and width of 2 units (as specified by l1 and l2), and there are
four rows and four columns of nodes (as specified by n1 and n2). The
PLANE_NODE therefore has a total of 16 nodes.
The eight sides of the circle are defined in Lines 16-23 using SINGLE_BARs.
These are the current pipes that connect the nodes. The width W and height H per-
pendicular to the direction of current flow are also defined here as 0.1 unit. Each
SINGLE_BAR receives its own name and that its two terminating nodes are also
specified at NODE1 and NODE2.
Line 24 uses a PLANE to define the ground plane. The PLANE command gener-
ates the current elements that connect the 16 nodes that were generated by the
PLANE_NODE command. Each current element has a height (in the direction of
the normal) and resistivity specified by H and RHO, respectively. The
BASE_NODE command is used to refer back to the PLANE_NODE.
Line 25 specifies options that are used to control the simulation. The first is the
number of filaments used within each conductor. The second is the set of UNITS
to be used. RI3 reads the input deck and generates the output file (as shown in Fig-
ure 6-11) and a matrix file named raexi33.mat. The matrix file is a binary file that
is used later for post-processing with RI3 to calculate the inductance.
Figure 6-12 shows the DPLOT output file that generated the graphics of Figure 6-
13. The DPLOT input file is very simple and only contains six lines (only three of
which are required). The file simply requests that DPLOT read the geometry file
created by RI3, select all the objects and plot them.
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Note:
The geometry file has the extension .geo. RI3 does not calculate plotta-
ble quantities; therefore, the geometry file contains only a description of
the original input structure.
1 * RI3 RUN
2 $ Example RAEXI33 circle above a ground plane
3 $ Geometry definition
4 $ Define the nodes
5 NODE NAME=n0; POSITION=cos(2*PI*0/8),0,sin(2*PI*0/8);
14 PLANE_NODE NAME=gnd; NORMAL=0,1,0; CENTER=0,-1,0; L1=2; L2=2; N1=4; N2=4;
15 $ Define the current elements which connect the nodes
16 SINGLE_BAR NAME=b0; NODE1=n0; NODE2=n1; W=0.1; H=0.1;
24 PLANE NAME=gndplane; BASE_NODE=gnd; H=.05; RHO=1e-8;
25 OPTIONS3I UNIT=1e-4; FILAMENT=2;
Figure 6-11 Output file for Example raexi33
1... $ Read in all the data

2... DATA RAPHAEL FILE=raexi33.geo
3... $ Select all the objects

4... SELECT ALL
5... $ Plot them

6... PLOT.3D TITLE=”Example RAEXI33: Ring Above GND Plane”
Figure 6-12 DPLOT input file dpraexi33 for Example raexi33
Note:
Figure 6-14 shows the output file generated after post-processing the file
raexi33.mat with RI3. The actual user input is very short (just 17 lines, most of
which are comments). Line 5 reads in the matrix file that was generated previ-
ously. Line 8 merges the ending node (n8) of the circle with the base node of the
ground plane. This step is necessary, since there can be only one reference node in
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a structure. Line 11 defines the external node(s) at which the impedance (induc-
tance and resistance) is calculated. In this case, the external node is the starting
node (n0) of the circular ring. It is possible to select as many nodes as desired for
external nodes. Each external node yields one row and one column of the
impedance matrix.
Figure 6-13 Device structure for Example raexi33
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1 * Example RAEXI33P post-processing por RAEXI33

2 * circle above a ground plane
3
4 * Read in the matrix file
5 matrix matrix_file=raexi33.mat
6
7 * Merge ground nodes
8 MERGE3I n8 gnd000_000
9
10 * Define signal node
11 EXT n0
12
13 * Define reference (ground) node
14 REF gnd000_000
15
16 * inductance
17 FREQUENCY START_FREQ=1e4; END_FREQ=1e4; DECADE=1;
IMPEDANCE MATRIX
freq = 1.000e+04 [Hz]

n0 : 4.790e-10

ext. node n0
n0 3.728e-10
Figure 6-14 Output from RI3 after post-processing the file raexi33.mat with
the file raexi33p
Line 14 defines the reference node gnd000_000 (which is actually both

gnd000_000 and n8). Note that the entire node name (including the suffix)
must be used. Every structure must have one, and only one, reference node.
Line 17 defines, respectively, the start frequency, end frequency and the number of
frequency points per decade. The output indicates that the inductance of the ring is
0.3728 nanoHenries. The analytical formula for the inductance is:
c 2
z = ⎛ ------⎞ Equation 6-10
⎝ 2a⎠
⎧ 1 ⎫ 8
L = 0.004aπ ⎨ 1--- + ------ z ⎬ ln ⎛ ---⎞ ( – 0.84834 + 0.2041z ) Equation 6-11
⎝ ⎠
⎩ 2 12 ⎭ z
In this equation, L is the inductance in microHenries, a is the radius of the ring in

centimeters, and c is the cross-sectional thickness of the ring in centimeters. In the
example, a = 10-2 and c = 10-3 giving the inductance as 0.4 nanoHenries, which is
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close to the value found by RI3. If more segments were used, the result would be
closer. In this example the ground plane is sufficiently far away so as not to greatly
impact the inductance.
Raphael RI3 structures also can be visualized using Taurus Visual. To save output
for Taurus Visual, use the -h option when running Raphael.
raphael ri3 -h raexi33
The TDF file raexi33.tdf will be generated. Next start Taurus Viaual and load in
the TDF file. You can then rotate the structure using the mouse to get the desired
viewing angle. No fields are saved as part of the analysis.The example output is
shown in Figure 6-15 below.
Figure 6-15 Inductance ring structure shown using Taurus Visual
Example 4 (raexi34): Inductance of Four Bond Wires

This example calculates the self- and mutual- inductance of a set of bond wires
that might be used to tie the bond pads of a chip to the package. The output file
from RI3 can be found in Figure 6-16, and a rendering of the structure from
DPLOT can be found in Figure 6-18.
Line 5 of Figure 6-16 begins by defining some parameters for future use. The use
of parameters makes it easy to change the dimensions of certain features of the
structure. The templates used by the Interconnect Library program (RIL) make
use of parameters in this way. Note, in particular, how the parameter PITCH is
defined and used to control the spacing between the individual bond wires.
At Line 13, the node definition begins. Each bond wire has three straight segments
and therefore, four nodes. In addition, the X and Y positions of the nodes do not
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change from wire to wire. Hence, the predefined parameters X1, X2, X3, X4, Y1
and Y2 may be used to define the X and Y locations of the nodes.
The definition of the current elements that connect the nodes begins at Line 30.
Each segment has width and height (perpendicular to the direction of current flow)
of 1.4 mils and 1.1 mils. The resistivity of the current elements is 2.5x10-6 ohm-
meter. The OPTIONS statement at line 42 defines the unit used to 25.4x10-6
meters, which corresponds to mils and sets the number of filaments used within
each element to 5. Executing RI3 generates the binary file raexi34.mat, which can
be used later if a power and grounding strategy different from the one specified in
Lines 49 to 54 is desired.
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2 $ Example RAEXI34 Four Bond Wires

3 $ Geometery definition file
4 $ Define some parameters
5 PARAM x1 = 5;
6 PARAM x2 = 10.5;
7 PARAM x3 = 19.5;
8 PARAM x4 = 24.1;
9 PARAM y1 = 30.7;
10 PARAM y2 = 5.7;
11 PARAM pitch = 8;
12 $ Define Nodes
13 NODE NAME=n1a; POSITION=x1,y1,0*pitch;
14 NODE NAME=n1b; POSITION=x2,y1,0*pitch;
15 NODE NAME=n1c; POSITION=x3,y2,0*pitch;
16 NODE NAME=n1d; POSITION=x4,y2,0*pitch;
29 $ Connect nodes with current elements
30 SINGLE_BAR NAME=bar1a; NODE1=n1a; NODE2=n1b; W=1.4; H=1.1; RHO=2.5e-6;
31 SINGLE_BAR NAME=bar1b; NODE1=n1b; NODE2=n1c; W=1.4; H=1.1;
32 SINGLE_BAR NAME=bar1c; NODE1=n1c; NODE2=n1d; W=1.4; H=1.1;
33 SINGLE_BAR NAME=bar2a; NODE1=n2a; NODE2=n2b; W=1.4; H=1.1;
42 OPTIONS3I UNIT=25.4e-6; FILAMENT=5;
43 $ Post-processing commands
44 $ Merge ground nodes
45 MERGE3I n2d n1d
46 MERGE3I n3d n1d
47 MERGE3I n4d n1d
48 $ Define external (signal) nodes
49 EXT n1a
50 EXT n2a
51 EXT n3a
52 EXT n4a
53 $ Define reference (ground) node
54 REF n1d
55 $ Calculate inductance
56 FREQUENCY START_FREQ=1e4; END_FREQ=1e5; DECADE=2;
Figure 6-16 RI3 input file for Example raexi34
Figure 6-17 shows the DPLOT output file that generated the graphics of
Figure 6-18. The DPLOT input file is very simple, containing just 6 lines (only 3
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of which are required). The file simply requests that DPLOT read the geometry
file created by RI3, select all the objects and plot them.
Note:
The geometry file has the extension .geo. RI3 does not calculate any
field or potential distribution. Therefore, the geometry file contains only
a description of the original input structure.
1... $ Read the input file
2... DATA RAPHAEL FILE=raexi34.geo
3... $ select all the objects
4... SELECT ALL
5... $ plot them all
6... PLOT.3D TITLE=”Example RAEXI34: Four Bond Leads”
Figure 6-17 DPLOT input file dpraexi34 for Example raexi34
Note:
Figure 6-18 Device structure for Example raexi34, which simulates four bond leads
Lines 45-47 merge the four ground nodes (at the lower end of each wire) into a
single node named n1d. Lines 49-52 define the set of external nodes where the
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Raphael Reference Manual References
impedance matrix is calculated. Line 54 defines the reference node as n1d, (the
lower ends of all bond wires). Finally, Line 56 sets the range of frequencies for the
analysis. In this case, the range starts at 10kHz and ends at 100kHz. It performs
two frequency points per decade (for a total of three frequency points).
Figure 6-19 shows the impedance matrix.

freq = 1.000e+05 [Hz]

n1a : 2.344e+00
n2a : 2.344e+00
n3a : 2.344e+00
n4a : 2.344e+00

ext. node n1a n2a n3a n4a
n1a 6.429e-10 2.095e-10 1.302e-10 9.412e-11
n2a 2.095e-10 6.429e-10 2.095e-10 1.302e-10
n3a 1.302e-10 2.095e-10 6.429e-10 2.095e-10
n4a 9.412e-11 1.302e-10 2.095e-10 6.429e-10
Figure 6-19 Portion of the output generated by RI3 for Example raexi34
The resistance of the bond wires has a numerical value of 2.344 ohms. This value
is frequency invariant. The self-inductance of each wire is given in the diagonal
terms of the matrix. The mutual inductance between the wires is found on the off-
diagonal terms.
Note:
The matrix is symmetric and that there is virtually no frequency depen-
dence over the specified range. This frequency independence is due to
low frequency. In addition, only multi-bars can reproduce skin effects.
Because only single-bars were used in this example, there were no skin
effects.
References
[7] E. Weber, Electromagnetic Theory, Dover, New York, 1962
[8] A.E. Ruehli, “Inductance Calculations in a Complex Integrated Circuit Envi-
ronment,” IBM J. Res. Develop., September 1972, pp. 470-481.
[9] C.C. Huang, “Computation of Resistance and Inductance Matrices in a Sym-
metric Structure,” IEEE Trans. Components, Packaging, and Manufacturing
Technology-Part A, vol. 18, no. 3, September 1995, pp. 674-676.
[10] C. S. Walker, Capacitance, Inductance, and Cross-talk Analysis, 1990, pp.
92-94.
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CHAPTER 7
Raphael
Interconnect Library
7
Introduction
The Raphael Interconnect Library (RIL) utility, is a database program that gener-
ates and stores electrical model parameters for interconnect elements. The param-
eters are based on dimensions, geometries, and material properties. The elements
are simple geometric structures that can be joined together to form interconnects
for various electrical designs. The electrical parameters for each element are cal-
culated using either one or two of the numerical simulation programs, RC2, RC3,
RI3. RIL then generates the SPICE subcircuit definitions, which are visually
inspected with STUDIO Visualize, Synopsys TCAD’s visualization tool.
Raphael Interconnect Library

The Raphael Interconnect Library (RIL) is an excellent tool for creating variations
of the parameters that characterize the library elements. RIL also analyzes the
effect of these variations on the parasitics associated with the interconnect struc-
tures.
Figure 7-1 presents the information flow for RIL and its main components. You
interact with RIL by first selecting an element for the library and then specifying a
set of values that define a set of structures for the element. After this step is com-
pleted, RIL generates the input files, runs the corresponding solvers, and stores the
parasitic values in the database. When desired, the Results Inspectors can inspect
any of the Parasitics Databases for each of the structures in the Parametric Library.
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Raphael Interconnect Library Raphael Reference Manual
Under this option, you can generate listings, printouts, or you can interactively
plot the simulated parasitics versus the parameters that describe the structure.
USER
RIL
Parametric Results
Library RC2 RC3 Inspectors
RI3 (Listing,
STUDIO
Interconnect Visualize)
Databases
Figure 7-1 Main components and information flow of the Raphael

Interconnect Library (RIL)
The Parametric Library of RIL consists of a set of 30 structures that represent

most of the common interconnect structures found in printed circuit boards, multi-
chip modules, packaging and on-chip interconnects. All of these template library
elements are listed in Appendix A of this manual. For each library element a
default Parasitics Database exists under the default name data. Other databases to
store specific sets of parameters can be created by user-defined database names.
Each one of the parametric structures is defined by a set of support files that are
used by RIL for the generation of input files and parsing the outputs generated by
the solvers. These files are also used in the generation of the Parasitics Databases.
Figure 7-2 shows the structure of the Parametric Library.
Parametric
Library
Element 1 Element 30
2 Pins/Vias Level 2 ...
...
Interconnect Interconnect
Database Support Database Support
(data user Files (data user Files
defined) defined)
Figure 7-2 The Parametric Library
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Raphael Reference Manual Running RIL
Running RIL
RIL can be invoked by issuing the command:
raphael ril
The program displays a short message and then prompts you to choose a unit for
the input geometries of the input parameters. There are three possible choices:
• Millimeters (mm)
• Microns
• Mils
Once a choice has been made, it remains the default unit for the remainder of the
session.
RIL operates only on the structure types defined in its Parametric Library. To
begin the program, you must first choose a structure from a defined list. A dia-
gram of the structure you have chosen and its equivalent electrical circuit is then
displayed in two separate windows. Figure 7-3 shows the structure for element 20
of the Parametric Library (crossover of two conductive layers above a ground
plane). In Figure 7-4, the associated SPICE subcircuit is presented.
Cross Over of Structures in 2 Levels

Z Above a Ground Plane Z
s2 w2
h3 E3
t2
s1 w1 E2
h2
t1
h1 E1
X Y
Figure 7-3 Structure corresponding to element 20 of the Parametric Library
Each time you select a new structure, you are prompted to select an output file
name for the Parasitics Database to be used for storing and inspecting the results
of your simulations. This file is created or opened in the subdirectory associated
with the new structure. By default, RIL stores all new data in a file called data in
the subdirectory associated with the newly selected structure.
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12
11 R6
Trace 6
10
9 R5
Trace 5
8
7 R4
Trace 4 C66
C55
C44
99
5 R3 6
Trace3
3 R2 4
Trace 2
1 R1 2
Trace 1
C33
C22
C11
Note: Cij in the output represents all the cross capacitances

between different traces.
Figure 7-4 SPICE subcircuit associated with element 20 of the Parametric

Library
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Raphael Reference Manual RIL Interactive Commands
RIL Interactive Commands

RIL uses the following commands. The commands can be abbreviated by their
initial letters.
ADD
The add command adds input parameters to a file in order to generate data. An
editor defined by you is employed to modify the file (see Customization, p. 7-8).
The file contains two types of lines: comments (which begin with an asterisk *)
and data lines. Comment lines may be used to comment on the data items or to list
their sequence in the file. Comments are ignored by the program.
When you select the add command, you are prompted to define the input file
name for the new structures to be simulated. By default, RIL opens a file called
“sets” that contains the current library element in the RIL subdirectory (see Direc-
tory Structure and Files, p. 7-8).
Data lines contain geometry and material parameters. Each line represents a spe-
cific input parameter set associated with the structure type. The input geometry
parameters use the unit selected earlier (mils, microns, or millimeters). The rela-
tive dielectric constants (E1 and E2) have no units, and the resistivity of the con-
ductor (Z1) is always specified in units of Ohm-meter. RIL automatically checks
to see if the data set has been previously simulated. In such cases, RIL ignores the
input set and informs you that the set has been simulated.
Note:
There is no limit on the number of data sets that can be added to a file,
however, EACH DATA SET MUST OCCUPY A SINGLE LINE.
CHECK
This command checks to determine if a specific data set exists in the database.
The program prompts for the input parameters.
When this command is selected, you are prompted to define the input file name
for the new structures to be checked. By default, RIL opens a file named sets in
the RIL subdirectory that contains the current library element (see the Directory
Structure and Files, p. 7-8).
GENERATE
This command starts the numerical simulation to extract the electrical parameters.
This process may take from a few seconds to several minutes depending on the
structure type that has been chosen and the number of data sets. Completion of the
process is marked by the appearance of the command prompt =>. Interruption of
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RIL Interactive Commands Raphael Reference Manual
the generation process by pressing CNTL-C, or CNTL-BREAK may result in the loss
of newly generated results.
When generating results for a new data set, RIL reads the parameters from the file
that was defined by the execution of the command add. RIL stores the results in
the file defined when the last element was selected.
INPUT CHECK / PLOTS

This command runs RC2 or RC3 in input check mode to check the validity of the
input data. DPLOT is also executed to produce plots of the actual input data.
for the new structures to be plotted. By default, RIL opens a file named sets in the
RIL subdirectory that contains the current library element (see Directory Structure
and Files, p. 7-8).
LIST
This command lists all of the electrical parameter sets stored in the database for
each structure type. The parameter sets are listed in ascending order based on the
value of their geometric dimensions. If the structure type is 2D, RIL prompts for
the length in the Z dimension before displaying the electrical data (which is scaled
appropriately). RIL also generates SPICE subcircuit models at this point. For 2D
structures, RIL calculates the number of RLC sections based on the length in the Z
dimension and the estimated rise time of the electrical signal as supplied by you.
When listing the results for all the calculated data sets, RIL lists the results that are
stored in the file defined when the last element was selected.
The parasitic values and the SPICE netlist generated by RIL are stored in your
current directory. RIL prompts you for the file names. The default file names are
Your_data for the parasitic values and Your_subckt for the SPICE subcircuit.
PRINT
This command produces copies of the electrical data and input parameters on a
specified printer. The printer device name is configured in the start_up file (see
Customization, p. 7-8).
NEW
This command selects a new structure type. After the new type is chosen, its phys-
ical structure and equivalent circuit model replace the ones in the display win-
dows.
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for the new structures to be simulated. By default, RIL opens a file named sets in
the RIL subdirectory that contains the current library element. See the Directory
Structure and Files, p. 7-8.
SAVE
This command allows you to save the recently generated data into the database.
The updated data sets are also saved automatically when a new element is selected
or when exiting RIL.
VISUALIZE
The VISUALIZE command generates a STUDIO Visualize input file (.dvm) that
can later be inspected with STUDIO Visualize, Synopsys TCAD’s visualization
tool. This tool allows you to interactively select a specific dependent variable
(e.g., capacitance to ground) and plot it against an independent variable (e.g.,
spacing of metal 2 lines.) The default file name for this option is Your_SV.dvm,
and you are prompted to define your own file name. The .dvm suffix is automati-
cally added by RIL.
TABLE
With this option the complete set of simulated results and parameters that describe
a given RIL element is saved in a standard ASCII file in tabular format. The first
row of the table lists the independent parameter names first (geometrical and elec-
trical) and the names of the dependent parameters at the end. The first row also
lists the column names. The following rows list the values corresponding to each
entry in the database for that library element. The default file name for this com-
mand is Your_ascii.asc. You can select your own file name (the .asc suffix is auto-
matically added).
QUIT
This command terminates the execution of RIL and closes the display windows.
All the values generated when working with library elements are automatically
saved.
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Directory Structure and Files Raphael Reference Manual
Directory Structure and Files

RIL uses a separate subdirectory for each structure type. Each subdirectory con-
tains the templates for RC2, RC3, RI3, and DPLOT as well as a data file contain-
ing the electrical parameters for that structure only. The 2D structures, such as
trace and wire, use a second level directory to store the templates and data (sub-
subdirectory). The base directory is pointed to by the RILDIR environment vari-
able.
Each directory contains some or all of the following files:

• pic.xbm - Bitmap of the structure.
• ckt.xbm - Bitmap of the circuit diagram.
• plot3.in - DPLOT input file for 3D device.
• plot2.in - DPLOT input file for 2D device.
• rc2.in - RC2 template file.
• rc3.in - RC3 template file.
• ri3.in - RI3 template file
• rc2.fmt - Awk control file used to extract data from RC2 output.
• rc3.fmt - Awk control file used to extract data from RC3 output.
• ri3.fmt - Awk control file used to extract data from RI3 output.
• sets - Data sets file created by the ADD command.
• data - Stored input parameters and extracted electrical data.
• title - Structure type name and parameter list.
• tmplt - Template used to create SPICE models.
In addition, many temporary files are generated by RIL and the solvers during a
run. Since RIL and the solvers must be able to write to the data base (and create
temporary files), it is important that ALL USERS WHO WISH TO RUN RIL
MUST HAVE WRITE PRIVILEGE TO THE RIL SUBDIRECTORIES AND
THEIR CONTENTS.
Customization
The following methods help you to customize RIL.
start_up File
The file start_up in the RIL base directory (as indicated by the RILDIR environ-
ment variable) contains a number of parameters that control the operation of RIL.
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Raphael Reference Manual Customization
The start_up file supplied with RIL is given in Figure 7-5. The parameters are as
follows:
UNIT number Sets default units (1 for meters, 2 for microns, 3 for
mils).
EDITOR character Defines the editor for adding parameters.
PRINTER character Defines the printer command for printing data.
DIR character Defines the structure type directories (should not be
modified).
To define the environment variable RILDIR, type the following:
setenv RILDIR <path>
where <path> represents the complete path of the RIL library.
RIL Environment Variables

RIL uses two environment variables to find the starting point for its file system
and the solvers. RILDIR points to the directory containing the start_up file and the
RIL structure subdirectories. RILTOOLS points to the directory containing the
executables for RC2, RC3, RI3 and DPLOT.
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SPICE Netlist Generation and Naming Convention Raphael Reference Manual
* start_up file for RIL

* default units 1=millimeters 2=microns 3=mills
unit 2
* editor to use when generating data sets
editor vi
* printer to print data
printer lpr
* template directory names
dir pin_via1
dir pin_via2
dir pin_via3
dir bend.g1
dir bend.g2
dir widen.g1
dir widen.g2
dir narrow.g1
dir narrow.g2
dir pad.g1
dir wire
dir trace.eq.g0
dir trace.eq.g1
dir trace.eq.g2
dir trace.ue.g0
dir trace.ue.g1
dir trace.ue.g2
dir lev1.g2
dir cross.1trace
dir cross.lev1.lev2t
dir cross.lev1.lev2t.lev3
dir conf.3diel.eq.g1
dir conf.4diel.eq.g1
dir conf.2diel.2met.eq.g1
dir conf.3diel.2met.eq.g1
dir spacer.eq.g1
dir spacer.2met.eq.g1
dir overlap
dir par.lev1.lev2
dir par.lev2.lev1
Figure 7-5 RIL start_up file
SPICE Netlist Generation and Naming Convention

The rules used to automatically number the nodes of the SPICE netlist in the 2D
RIL models usually follow the rules used by the RC2 solver, but in this case the
generation of several sections for each electrode adds another level of complexity.
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Raphael Reference Manual SPICE Netlist Generation and Naming Convention
1 L1 1 101 R11 102 L21 103 R21 2

elec1
C112 C111 C212 C211

K112 99 K212 99
3 105 106 107 4
elec2
L12 R12 R22
L22
C122 C222
99 99
ground
Figure 7-6 Automatic node assignment by RIL
Node numbers are assigned using the following rules:

• Each electrode is assigned an ordinal number that corresponds to its position
in the RIL structure (i.e., the first electrode to the left is assigned n=1, the sec-
ond electrode to the right n=2, and so on).
• The terminal node numbers for electrode n, when there are N electrodes, are
assigned using the following rules:
first_node = 2 ( n – 1 ) Equation 7-1
last_node = 2n . Equation 7-2

• The ground (reference) node (when present in the model) is always assigned
the number 99.
• Assuming that there are M (RCL lumped sections), the intermediate nodes for
electrode n are assigned sequentially between the first_intermediate_node and
the last_intermediate_node that are calculated according to the following
rules:
first_intermediate_node = 101 + 2 [ ( n – 1 )M ] Equation 7-3
last_intermediate_node = 99 + 2nM . Equation 7-4
In Figure 7-6, this numbering system is applied to an RIL model with two elec-
trodes and a ground plane. The model also has two sections per electrode. In this
example, when a SPICE subcircuit is requested for a 2D model, two RCL sections
per electrode are generated by RIL.
The naming convention for the lumped element follows the rules below:
• For resistance of section s, electrode n: Rsn
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RIL Example Sessions Raphael Reference Manual
• For self -inductance of section s, electrode n: Lsn

• For coupling term of inductances of section s, electrodes n and m: Ksnm
• For capacitance to ground of section s, electrode n: Csnn
• For mutual capacitance of section s, electrodes n and m: Csnm
RIL Example Sessions

Since RIL is an interactive program, a simple example file cannot be created. To
illustrate the use of RIL, however, the following interactive sessions were created.
In these sessions, you generate data and SPICE models for a “bend over a ground
plane” and “two lines over a ground plane.” In the last session, you explore the use
of RIL with STUDIO Visualize.
In the following examples:

• User input is indicated by bold face type.
• Comments that explain what is happening are indicated by italics.
• All other text indicates responses from RIL.
Session 1: 3D Example
This example illustrates the use of RIL in the generation of parasitic values for a
3D structure. In this case, the structure corresponds to a bend running on top of a
ground plane.
herman [3]> raphael ril
*****************************************************************************
* *
* RAPHAEL INTERCONNECT MODEL LIBRARY *
* Synopsys Corp. *
* All Rights Reserved *
* *
* The InterConnect Model (RIL) Library generates and stores electrical model *
* parameters (R, C and L’s) for packaging interconnect elements based on *
* their dimensions, geometries and material properties. *
*****************************************************************************
Choose one from the following units for your geometries

by its index number (1 - 3):
1) mm 2) micron 3) mil
Default unit is micron.
--> 2
You have chosen micron for the geometries.
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Raphael Reference Manual RIL Example Sessions
Following are the elements available in the library.

You can choose one by entering its index number:
9) 2 Pins/Vias with Pads in Antipad Holes of a Plane
10) 2 Pins/Vias with Pads above a Solid Plane
11) 2 Pins/Vias with Pads above a Plane with Antipads
12) Trace Bend above a Plane
13) Trace Bend between 2 Planes
14) Trace Widening above a Plane
15) Trace Widening between 2 Planes
16) Trace Narrowing above a Plane
17) Trace Narrowing between 2 Planes
18) A Pad above a Plane
19) Parallel, Equally Spaced Bonding Wires
20) Parallel, Equal Width/Equal Spacing Traces without Plane
21) Parallel, Equal Width/Spacing Traces Above a Plane
22) Parallel, Equal Width/Equal Spacing Traces between 2 Planes
23) Parallel, Unequal Width/Spacing Traces without Plane
24) Parallel, Unequal Width/Spacing Traces above a Plane
25) Parallel, Unequal Width/Spacing Traces between 2 Planes
26) Array above substrate below dense array
27) Cross Over Above a Single Trace Above a Plane
28) Cross Over of Two Conductive Levels Above a Plane
29) Cross Over of Three Conductive Levels Above a Plane
30) One Conformal Dielectric Layer on Top of Parallel Lines
31) Two Conformal Dielectric Layers on Top of Parallel Lines
32) One Conformal Dielectric Layer, Conformal Metal Layer on Top of Parallel Lines
33) Two Conformal Dielectric Layers, Conformal Metal Layer on Top of Parallel Lines
34) One Conformal Dielectric Layer on Top of Parallel Lines with Sidewall Spacers
with Sidewall Spacers
36) Overlap Conductor Above Metal Trace and Ground PLane
37) Level 1 Array Under Parallel Level 2 Array above Substrate
38) Level 2 Array Above Parallel Level 1 Array Above Substrate
Index [1 - 30] --> 4

Current element is: Trace Bend above a Plane
Input the filename to save your data set (default: data):
Here you should press RETURN. The simulated results are stored in the file called
data in the subdirectory RILDIR/bend.g1.
At this point, two windows appear containing a diagram of the structure and a
schematic of the SPICE equivalent circuit.
CHOOSE A COMMAND FROM THE FOLLOWING MENU
Add more input for data generation [a]

Check whether a data set is available [c]
Generate data (using RC2, RC3 or RI3) [g]
List existing data [l]
Get a new element [n]
Print out data [p]
Save data [s]
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Generate plots to check input [i]

Generate file for STUDIO Visualize [v]
Generate standard ascii table [t]
Quit [q]
=> a
This command at present invokes the editor vi. The file you open may have some input left
by previous data generation. You can delete them all and put in new ones.
Press <Return> key to start with the default data set or type your “ready to use” file
name.
Press RETURN to use the mask file provided with RIL.

Press <Return> key to start
The following appears in the editor window
Trace Bend above a Plane

*
* h1 h2 t1 w1 th E1 E2 Z1
2.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 135 8.4 9.4 15.2e-8
~
~
~
~
~
~
”/usr1/raphael/ril/bend.g1/sets” 4 lines, 128 characters
You can change the parameters as desired. Now generate plots to view your structure.
=> i
Press <Return> key to start with the default data set

or type your “ready to use” file name:
Press RETURN to use the file stored in RILDIR/bend.g1.

Generating plot for the set:
h1 = 2 h2 = 3 t1 = 1 w1 = 1 th = 135 E1 = 8.4 E2 = 9.4 Z1 = 1.52e-07
3D graphics scene group read

Read data from file: rc3.pot
At this point, a plot prepared by DPLOT appears in a new window showing the structure to scale.
=> g
Now calculate the parameters. RC3, and RI3 are run automatically.
Generating data for the set:
h1 = 2 h2 = 3 t1 = 1 w1 = 1 th = 135 E1 = 8.4 E2 = 9.4 Z1 = 1.52e-07
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Begin RC3
POTENTIAL CALCULATION [Coulomb]
Charge on trc.bnd = 6.743239e-16

Charge on trival = 9.587848e-18
Charge on plane = -6.839153e-16
End of RC3
The file /usr1/raphael/ril/bend.g1/ri3.mat contains the inductance matrix. Process this

file with RI3 to obtain resistance and inductance. RI3 completed.
Size of the complex matrix is: 4 X 4.

Calculating inductance at 1.000000e+03, Hz

n1 : 1.349e+00

ext. node n1
n1 1.177e-12
Inductance calculations are complete.

Refer to the output file /usr1/raphael/ril/bend.g1/ri3.out for results.
Data generated are stored in the library.
Now examine the data generated and create a SPICE model using the list command.
=> l
Trace Bend above a Plane
Input Parameters for the Structure:

h1 h2 t1 w1 th E1 E2 Z1
Electrical Parameters for the Model:

C L R
Data Available:
index Input Parameters

----- ----- ----------
1 h1=2.00e+00 h2=3.00e+00 t1=1.00e+00 w1=1.00e+00 th=1.35e+02
E1=8.40e+00 E2=9.40e+00 Z1=1.52e-07
Do you want to look at a specific data set [y/n] ? y

Input the filename to save your data (default: Your_data):
Press RETURN to use the default name to store the results.
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Type in the index number [1 - 1]: 1
Input Parameters:
h1=2.00e+00 h2=3.00e+00 t1=1.00e+00 w1=1.00e+00 th=1.35e+02 E1=8.40e+00
E2=9.40e+00 Z1=1.52e-07
Electrical Model Parameters:

C = 6.84e-16 Farads
L = 1.18e-12 Henrys
R = 1.35e+00 Ohms
Do you want to generate a SPICE circuit model with these values [y/n] ? y
Input the filename to save your circuit (default: Your_subckt):
Press RETURN to use the default name to store the SPICE subcircuit.
.subckt icmsb 1 2 99
c1 101 99 6.83915e-16
l1 1 101 1.177e-12
r1 101 2 1.349
.ends icmsb
Another set [y/n] ? n
At this point you have finished the analysis of the “trace bend over a ground plane.” Now select the sec-
ond structure “two traces over a ground plane.”
Session 2: 2D Example
In this session, you select a 2D model and generate the parasitics for two different
structures.
Status 1: If you are continuing from where you left off in the previous example,
request a new element from the library as follows:
=> n
The data for the element on which you have been working
are automatically saved.
After this point, the complete listing of RIL library elements are displayed.
Status 2: If you are running RIL from the beginning, follow the example of Ses-
sion 1 until you are presented with the listing of all the structures in the Parametric
Library as shown below:
Following are the elements available in the library. You can choose one by typ-
ing in its index number:
1) 2 Pins/Vias with Pads in Antipad Holes of a Plane
2) 2 Pins/Vias with Pads above a Solid Plane
3) 2 Pins/Vias with Pads above a Plane with Antipads
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4) Trace Bend above a Plane

5) Trace Bend between 2 Planes
6) Trace Widening above a Plane
7) Trace Widening between 2 Planes
8) Trace Narrowing above a Plane
9) Trace Narrowing between 2 Planes
10) A Pad above a Plane
11) Parallel, Equally Spaced Bonding Wires
12) Parallel, Equal Width/Equal Spacing Traces without Plane
13) Parallel, Equal Width/Spacing Traces Above a Plane
14) Parallel, Equal Width/Equal Spacing Traces between 2 Planes
15) Parallel, Unequal Width/Spacing Traces without Plane
16) Parallel, Unequal Width/Spacing Traces above a Plane
17) Parallel, Unequal Width/Spacing Traces between 2 Planes
18) Array above substrate below dense array
19) Cross Over Above a Single Trace Above a Plane
20) Cross Over of Two Conductive Levels Above a Plane
21) Cross Over of Three Conductive Levels Above a Plane
22) One Conformal Dielectric Layer on Top of Parallel Lines
23) Two Conformal Dielectric Layers on Top of Parallel Lines
25) Two Conformal Dielectric Layers, Conformal Metal Layer on Top of Parallel Lines
26) One Conformal Dielectric Layer on Top of Parallel Lines with Sidewall Spacers
with Sidewall Spacers
28) Overlap Conductor Above Metal Trace and Ground PLane
29) Level 1 Array Under Parallel Level 2 Array above substrate
30) Level 2 Array Above Parallel Level 1 Array Above Substrate
Index [ 1 - 30 ] --> 13
In this category there are more elements listed as following.

You can choose one by typing in its index number:
1) One trace
2) 2 traces
3) 3 traces
4) 4 traces
5) 5 traces
6) 6 traces
7) 7 traces
8) 8 traces
9) 9 traces
Index [1 - 9] --> 2
Current element is: Parallel, Equal Width/Spacing Traces Above a Plane

2 Traces
The simulated results are stored in the database called data, in the subdirectory RILDIR/trace.eq.g1/
trace2.
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At this point the two windows showing the structure diagram and the schematic is updated to show the
new structure.
=> a
This command at present invokes the editor vi.

The file you’ll open may have some input left by previous data generation. You can delete
them all and put in new ones.
Press the <Return> key to start
The editor window comes up at this time. You must modify the first line to read like the first data line that
follows and add the second line to the file.
* 2 Traces above a Plane

*
* h1 h2 t1 w1 s0 s1 E1 E2 Z1
1.1 10.0 1.0 2.0 10. 2.0 1.0 1.0 2.24e-8
1.2 10.0 1.0 2.0 10. 2.0 1.0 1.0 2.24e-8
”/usr1/raphael/ril/trace.eq.g1/trace2/sets” 4 lines, 126 characters
Once again generate the data. Only RC2 is run this time since the structure is 2D. RC2 is run twice, once
for each parameter set.
=> g

Press RETURN to use the file stored in RILDIR/trace.eq.g1/trace2.

h1 = 1.1 h2 = 10 t1 = 1.0 w1 = 2.0 s0 = 10 s1 = 2.0 E1 = 1.0 E2 = 1
Z1 = 2.24e-08
Begin RC2
CAPACITANCE CALCULATION [Farad / unit length] (matrix [C] in [Q] = [C][V])
trace1 trace2
trace1 4.617088e-11 -9.396888e-12
trace2 -9.396888e-12 4.617088e-11
INDUCTANCE CALCULATION [Henry / unit length]
trace1 trace2
trace1 2.518085e-07 5.116122e-08
trace2 5.116122e-08 2.518085e-07
End of RC2

h1 = 1.2 h2 = 10 t1 = 1.0 w1 = 2.0 s0 = 10 s1 = 2.0 E1 = 1.0 E2 = 1
Z1 = 2.24e-08
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Begin RC2
CAPACITANCE CALCULATION [Farad / unit length] (matrix [C] in [Q] = [C][V])
trace1 trace2
trace1 4.432387e-11 -9.648827e-12
trace2 -9.648827e-12 4.432387e-11
INDUCTANCE CALCULATION [Henry / unit length]
trace1 trace2
trace1 2.636717e-07 5.716674e-08
trace2 5.716674e-08 2.636717e-07
End of RC2
Data generated are stored in the library.
Now examine the data using the list command.

=> l
Parallel, Equal Width/Spacing Traces Above a Plane

2 Traces

h1 h2 t1 w1 s0 s1 E1 E2 Z1

C11 C12 L11 L12 R1
Data Available:

----- ----- ----------
1 h1=1.10e+00 h2=1.00e+01 t1=1.00e+00 w1=2.00e+00 s0=1.00e+01
s1=2.00e+00 E1=1.00e+00 E2=1.00e+00 Z1=2.24e-08
2 h1=1.20e+00 h2=1.00e+01 t1=1.00e+00 w1=2.00e+00 s0=1.00e+01
s1=2.00e+00 E1=1.00e+00 E2=1.00e+00 Z1=2.24e-08
There are two sets of data from the run just completed.
Do you want to look at a specific data set [y/n]? y
Input the filename to save your data (default: Your_data):
Press RETURN to use the default name to store the results.

Type in the index number [1 - 2]: 2
How long is this structure (in microns)? 250
Input Parameters:
h1=1.20e+00 h2=1.00e+01 t1=1.00e+00 w1=2.00e+00 s0=1.00e+01 s1=2.00e+00 E1=1.00e+00
E2=1.00e+00 Z1=2.24e-08
Electrical Model Parameters:
(length = 250 microns)
C11 = 8.669e-15 Farads
C12 = 2.412e-15 Farads
L11 = 6.592e-11 Henrys
L12 = 1.429e-14 Henrys
R1 = 2.800e+00 Ohms
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Do you want to generate a SPICE circuit model with these values [y/n]? y
Input the filename to save your circuit (default: Your_subckt):
Press RETURN to use the default name to store the SPICE sub-circuit.
Input the rise-time of the circuit waveform in seconds
Or enter zero to use a single section: 1e-10
1 sections will be used.
.subckt icmsb 1 2 3 4 99
** Line 1, Zo=8.720146e+01, Td=7.559277e-13 **
** Line 2, Zo=8.720146e+01, Td=7.559277e-13 **
** Section 1 **
L11 1 101 6.591800e-11
C111 101 99 8.668750e-15
R11 101 2 2.80000e+00
C112 101 103 2.412208e-15
K112 L11 L12 2.168099e-01
L12 3 103 6.591800e-11
C122 103 99 8.668750e-15
R12 103 4 2.80000e+00
.ends icmsb
Another set [y/n] ? n

=> q
herman [4]>
At this point the analysis of the “two traces over a ground plane” is finished. Now continue with the
example of generating a data file for STUDIO Visualize.
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Session 3: RIL and STUDIO Visualize

Status 1: If you are continuing from where you left off in the previous example,
request a new element from the library as follows:
=> n
Status 2: If you are running RIL from the beginning, follow the example of
Session 1 until you are presented with the listing of all the structures in the
Parametrics Library.
After this point, the complete listing of RIL library elements are displayed.
Index [1 - 30] --> 18
Current element is: Array above substrate below dense array
The simulated results are stored in the database called m18s1, in the subdirectory RILDIR/lev1.g2. This
name was selected to reflect model 18 (m18) and you must change the parameter s1 (s1).
At this point, the two windows showing the structure diagram and the schematic is updated to show the
new structure. Figure 7-7 shows the structure for the simulation, the corresponding SPICE subcircuit is
shown in Figure 7-8. Note that for this element an RC circuit is generated in which the capacitance corre-
sponds to the total capacitance for the central trace, but that the output lists the coupling capacitances to
the nearest line in the same level and to the substrate and upper level.
9 Traces
Equal Width / Equal Spacing
Between 2 Planes
t1
h2
w1
s1
t1
h1 E1
t1
Figure 7-7 Parametric structure used to calculate capacitances of a central
trace between two ground planes
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=> a
This command at present invokes the editor vi.

The file you’ll open may have some input left by previous data
generation. You can delete them all and put in new ones.
Press the <Return> key to start
R1
1 2
All capacitances in this model C1

are for the central trace
C11: Total capacitance

C1N: Capacitance to left trace
C1B: Capacitance to substrate
C1T: Capacitance to level 2
99
Figure 7-8 SPICE subcircuit corresponding to structure 18 of the parametric
library
Here a set of simulations is generated by changing only one parameter, i.e., the spacing between traces
(s1), so the parameter table looks like:
* 9 Traces between 2 Planes
*
* h1 h2 t1 w1 s1 E1 E2 Z1
0.80 2.0 0.8 0.9 0.2 3.9 3.9 3.34e-8
0.80 2.0 0.8 0.9 0.4 3.9 3.9 3.34e-8
0.80 2.0 0.8 0.9 0.8 3.9 3.9 3.34e-8
0.80 2.0 0.8 0.9 1.2 3.9 3.9 3.34e-8
0.80 2.0 0.8 0.9 1.6 3.9 3.9 3.34e-8
0.80 2.0 0.8 0.9 2.0 3.9 3.9 3.34e-8
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As in the previous sessions, the runs are activated by selecting the option generated from the main menu:
=> g
Press RETURN to use the file stored in RILDIR/lev1.g2.
After running the complete set of simulations, select the visualize option to generate a STUDIO
Visualize input file:
=> v
Input the file name to save your data in Visualize format

the”.dvm” suffix will be added (default: Your_SV.dvm):
m18s11
All the following data sets will be listed in the file m18s11.dvm
Array above substrate below dense array

h1 h2 t1 w1 s1 E1 E2 Z1

C11 C1N C1T C1B R1
Data Available:

----- ----- ----------
1 h1=8.00e-01 h2=2.00e+00 t1=8.00e-01 w1=9.00e-01 s1=2.00e-01
E1=3.90e+00 E2=3.90e+00 Z1=3.34e-08
2 h1=8.00e-01 h2=2.00e+00 t1=8.00e-01 w1=9.00e-01 s1=4.00e-01
E1=3.90e+00 E2=3.90e+00 Z1=3.34e-08
3 h1=8.00e-01 h2=2.00e+00 t1=8.00e-01 w1=9.00e-01 s1=8.00e-01
E1=3.90e+00 E2=3.90e+00 Z1=3.34e-08
4 h1=8.00e-01 h2=2.00e+00 t1=8.00e-01 w1=9.00e-01 s1=1.20e+00
E1=3.90e+00 E2=3.90e+00 Z1=3.34e-08
5 h1=8.00e-01 h2=2.00e+00 t1=8.00e-01 w1=9.00e-01 s1=1.60e+00
E1=3.90e+00 E2=3.90e+00 Z1=3.34e-08
6 h1=8.00e-01 h2=2.00e+00 t1=8.00e-01 w1=9.00e-01 s1=2.00e+00
E1=3.90e+00 E2=3.90e+00 Z1=3.34e-08
=> q
At this point, you have generated a STUDIO Visualize input file. Refer to the STUDIO Visualize Manual
to learn how to interactively inspect data with STUDIO Visualize. Figure 7-9 has been generated with
STUDIO Visualize loading the just created “m18s1.dvm” file. Note in this figure the dependency of the
line to ground capacitance and the coupling capacitance with the spacing of the lines.
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Figure 7-9 Capacitances for level array between 2 ground planes
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CHAPTER 8
Advanced Parser of
Interconnect
Structures
8
The Advanced Parser of Interconnect Structures (APIS) utility is a program for
building 3D interconnect structures using mask layout files, written in the indus-
try-standard GDS II format. This program also allows you to specify 3D confor-
mal dielectric layers and dielectric stacks. The APIS program provides 3D
interconnect structure in the format, available for the RC3 and RI3 field solver
program.
Overview
The APIS tool allows you to create complicated 3D interconnect structures from
the mask layout files of the GDS II format. The structure is composed of the right
prisms. Each prism has a polygon from the mask layer as its base. All prisms,
which are connected in space, compose a net.
The program has the following advanced features:

• Boolean operations on mask layers
• Oversize/undersize operations on mask layers
• Attachment of labels from the internal text layers of the GDS II file for RC3
• Attachment of labels from the external labeling file
• Ability to specify dielectric stack
• Automatic building of conformal dielectric layers
• Ability to merge selected nets, which are separated in space
• Ability to create RI3 bars along the current direction and build RI3 nets
• Ability to create RI3 planes
• Ability to process geometries with any angle in RI3 bar creation,
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Overview Raphael Reference Manual
Figure 8-1 shows the information flow for the APIS program. You provide the
mask file in GDS II stream format, the APIS command file, and labeling file
(optional). The APIS command file is an ASCII file that describes 3D geometry of
the interconnect structure, input and output files, labeling method, and so on in
terms of the APIS commands. The APIS program generates a file with 3D inter-
connect structure. The structure is written in the format used by the RC3/RI3 field
solver.
User
APIS GDS II APIS labeling

command file stream file file
APIS
RC3/RI3 input file
RC3
field solver
Figure 8-1 Main components and information flow of the APIS utility
program
The interconnect structure is constructed as many-storied building (see Figure 8-

2). Each floor is a layer from the GDS II layout file. Metal polygons of the layer
are spanned in Z direction as right prisms. All prisms that touch each other are
combined into the net.
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Raphael Reference Manual Running APIS
Net metal_2 Net metal_1
0.5 μm
Layer Meal2
0.6 μm
Layer Via
1 μm
Layer Metal1
Z
GroundPlane
Figure 8-2 Constructing the nets from the polygons, located at 2D layers.
Polygons at the layers are shown by bold lines, and prisms, grown
from these polygons are shown by thin lines. Grey rectangles
include separated nets.
Running APIS
APIS can be invoked by issuing the command:
raphael apis <command file name>
The argument of the command is a name of the APIS command file.
The following example illustrates the usage of the APIS.

1. Copy a file examples/topography/sample.tl2 into your working
directory.
2. Run Taurus Layout and load a file sample.tl2
3. Save this file layout in GDS II format as myfile.gds
4. Prepare the APIS command file myfile.inp as in Figure 8-3.
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Running APIS Raphael Reference Manual
HEADER {
INLIB = myfile.gds
BLOCK = myfile
RC3_DESIGN_FILE=myfile.rc3
}
ASSIGN {
Met1(0)
Via (2)
Met2 (4)
}
GEOMETRY {
Met1 {
LOCATION=0
THICKNESS=0.5
}
Via {
LOCATION=0.5
THICKNESS=0.5
}
Met2 {
LOCATION=1.0
THICKNESS=0.5
}
}
Figure 8-3 Example of the APIS input file
5. Run raphael apis myfile.inp. A file myfile.rc3 should appear

when program is finished.
6. Run raphael rc3 -i -z -N -h myfile.rc3. A file
myfile.rc3.tdf appears.
7. Run the Taurus Visual program; load a file myfile.rc3.tdf. You should
see 3D interconnect structure as in Figure 8-4.
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Raphael Reference Manual Using the APIS Program
Figure 8-4 Example of the interconnect structure, defined in Figure 8-3
Using the APIS Program

This section describes methods of building 3D interconnect structure with the
APIS program.
APIS Input and Output Files

To build interconnect structure, you need the following input files:
• The APIS command file that includes references to other input files, the
description of the 3D geometry of the interconnect structure, and some other
commands needed for building a structure.
• Mask layout file in GDS II format that contains 2D layers description.
• Labeling file with labels which defines pins and attach to the selected nets for
RI3 and RC3, respectively. This file is optional for RC3.
The APIS program writes interconnect structure into the output file in RC3/RI3
field solver format as a set of metal and dielectric right prisms.
Names of GDS II file, labeling, and output files are specified in the HEADER state-
ment in the command file (see example in Figure 8-3). In addition, the BLOCK
parameter specifies a cell which should be extracted from the GDS II file. If the
layout is not hierarchical (plain), it has only single cell that can be extracted, and
its name should be assigned to the BLOCK parameter. In the case of hierarchical
layout, you can choose any cell from any hierarchical level.
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Using the APIS Program Raphael Reference Manual
Assigning Metal and Text Layers

In the GDS II stream file, layers are recognized by their numbers. The ASSIGN
command specifies which layers will be extracted from the GDS II file and
assigns names to them. Two different names can be assigned to the same mask file
layer. In this case the APIS program considers it as two different layers. A text
layer can be attached to the metal layer to be used for net labeling. If a net con-
tains a prism, grown from the current metal layer, its label is seeking among the
text strings, located at the text layer attached. For RI3, text layers will be ignored
for pin name definition. pin name is defined in the label file.
The example of the ASSIGN command is presented in Figure 8-5. Here GDS II
layers 0, 2 and 4 are assigned by the names Met1, Via, Met2. Labels of poly-
gons at Met1 layer are searched in the text layer 100, and labels for Met2 layer
are searched at the same layer which is supposed to contain polygons and text.
ASSIGN {
Met1(0) TEXT (100)
Via (2)
Met2 (4) TEXT (4)
}
Figure 8-5 An example of the ASSIGN command
Boolean and Size Operations at Layout Layers

The APIS program can produce new layers from those defined in the GDS II file
using Boolean and size operations.
BOOLEAN command is used for merging, intersecting, subtracting, and finding

unique data from the specified layers of data to create new layers of data. The
APIS boolean operators are AND, NOT, OR, and XOR. Results of the action of each
Boolean command in Figure 8-6 and Figure 8-7.
BOOLEAN Layer1 AND Layer2 TEMP=Layer3

BOOLEAN Layer2 NOT Layer1 TEMP=Layer4
BOOLEAN Layer1 OR Layer2 TEMP=Layer5
BOOLEAN Layer1 XOR Layer2 TEMP=Layer6
Figure 8-6 The BOOLEAN commands with main Boolean operations
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Layer1 Layer2 Layer3
a) b)
Layer4 Layer5
c) d)
Layer6
e)
Figure 8-7 Results of the action of main boolean operations from Figure 8-6:
a) two initial layers; b) Layer1 AND Layer2; c) Layer2 NOT
Layer1; d) Layer1 OR Layer2; e) Layer1 XOR Layer2.
The SIZE command, which is used for changing a size of all polygons of the
layer, has two options:
• The OVERSIZE option expands all polygons, adding the specified amount to
each edge of each polygon of the selected layer.
• The UNDERSIZE option shrinks polygons, subtracting the specified amount
from each edge of each polygon.
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For example, the action of the SIZE commands, presented in Figure 8-8, is shown
in Figure 8-9
SIZE met1 {OVERSIZE=1. } TEMP=met2

SIZE met1 {UNDERSIZE=1.} TEMP=met3
Figure 8-8 An example of the SIZE command
Figure 8-9 The result of the SIZE command action: met1 is original layer,
met2 is expanded layer, met3 is shrunk layer
Both BOOLEAN and SIZE commands produce resulting layers which names are
specified by the TEMP parameter. These layers can be used below in the APIS
command file in the same way, as layers, specified by the ASSSIGN command.
Specifying 3D Arrangement of Metal Layers

To specify the arrangement of metal layers, use the GEOMETRY command. For
each layer the location and thickness along Z axis are specified by the LOCATION
and THICKNESS parameters. It is assumed that metal prisms are grown from the
polygons of the layer in positive Z direction. Their height are equal to value of the
THICKNESS parameter. Resistivity of metal layers is defined by parameter RHO.
Special meaning is given to the GROUNDPLANE layer. This layer contains only
one polygon of the size of simulation window in XY plane. Everything below this
layer is ignored by the RC3 field solver. Prism from the GROUNDPLANE is
spanned in negative Z direction by the value of the THICKNESS parameter.
An example of the ASSIGN command is presented in Figure 8-10. This command

corresponds to the structure from Figure 8-2.
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GEOMETRY {
Metal1 {
LOCATION=0
THICKNESS=1.0
}
Via {
LOCATION=1.0
THICKNESS=0.6
}
Metal2 {
LOCATION=1.6
THICKNESS=0.5
}
GROUNDPLANE {
LOCATION=-0.6
THICKNESS=0.5
}
Figure 8-10 An example of the GEOMETRY command
Net Constructing
All prisms that touch each other at least in one point are included into the same
net. All nets that touch ground plane are merged into the special ground net. So
after performing the GEOMETRY command, the number of nets is equal to the
number of unconnected sets of metal prisms.
The CONNECTING command allows you to make farther connections, assuming

that nets are connected outside the simulating structure. An example of the CON-
NECTING command is presented in Figure 8-11.
CONNECTING {
{VDD Met1}
{VSS Met2 GROUND}
{UNNAMED GROUND}
}
Figure 8-11 An example of the CONNECTING command
In this example net Met1 will be merged with net VDD, and Met2 will be merged
with VSS and the ground net.
To be connected by the CONNECTING command, nets should have names.

Regarding unnamed nets, there is a special macro name UNNAMED, which allows
you to connect all unnamed nets with particular selected net. In the example
above, all unnamed nets are connected to the ground net.
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Being connected, nets are merged into a single net. The name of this net is chosen
among the names of connected nets, using rules of precedence (see Specifying
Net Names, p. 8-12).
The WINDOW command is used to select a part of interconnect structure for simu-
lation. It defines a simulation region as 3D box. All objects out of this box are
removed from the interconnect structure. If some prism sets are not connected
inside the box, but are connected outside the box, they are considered as belong-
ing to the single net. The default window includes all prisms of the structure. The
example of full 3D interconnect structure and a part of it, selected by the WINDOW
command is shown in Figure 8-12.
Figure 8-12 An example of the full 3D interconnect structure and part of it,
selected by the WINDOW command.
Specifying Dielectric Stack

To specify the dielectric stack, use the DIELECTRIC command. This command
defines location, thickness, and permittivity of dielectric layers. The DEFAULT
keyword specifies the permittivity of unfilled space. If dielectric layers overlap
each other, next layer hides previous. The example of the DIELECTRIC com-
mand and corresponding structure are presented in Figures 8-13 and 8-14.
DIELECTRIC {
{ EPS=3.9 DEFAULT }
{ EPS=12 LOCATION=0.0 THICKNESS=1.0 }
{ EPS=4.4 LOCATION=0.5 THICKNESS=1.0 }
{ EPS=2.4 LOCATION=2.0 THICKNESS=1.0 }
}
Figure 8-13 An example of the DIELECTRIC command
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ε=3.9
1.0 μm
ε=2.4
1.0 μm 0.5μm
ε=3.9
ε=4.4
0.5μm
ε=12
ε=3.9
Figure 8-14 Dielectric layers, defined by the DIELECTRIC command in
Figure 8-13. All all unfilled space has ε=3.9.
Specifying Conformal Dielectric

The APIS program can automatically build conformal dielectric structures. Speci-
fying conformal dielectric for a given layer means that this dielectric covers all
sides of prisms, grown at this layer. Thickness of the covering is defined by the
inflation parameters. Multi-layer covering is available also. In this case, conformal
dielectric covers other conformal dielectric. To specify conformal dielectric lay-
ers, use the CONFORMAL command. An example of the CONFORMAL command
and results of its action are presented in Figures 8-15 and 8-16.
CONFORMAL {
NAME=conformal1
PARENT_NAME=poly
EPS=2.8
XY_INFLATION=0.5
ZN_INFLATION=0.6
ZP_INFLATION=0.3
}
{
NAME=conformal2
PARENT_NAME=conformal1
EPS=3.4
XY_INFLATION=0.4
ZN_INFLATION=0.8
ZP_INFLATION=0.2
}
Figure 8-15 An example of the CONFORMAL command
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Figure 8-16 Conformal dielectric layers, built by the CONFORMAL command

(see Figure 8-15). Dashed line specify location and thickness of
the poly layer.
Specifying Net Names

You can specify net name by two methods:
• Extracting text string from the GDS II text layer:
To extract net names from the text layer, attach it to the interconnect layer by
the ASSIGN command. Processing the ASSIGN command, the APIS pro-
gram finds all pairs of polygon in the interconnect layer and text rectangle in
the text layer, such that a central point of the text rectangle belongs to the
polygon. A name corresponding to a given polygon, is attached to the net
which includes prism based on this polygon. If different names are attached to
the single net, the net name is chosen from them using precedence rules.
In hierarchical GDS II files labels in text layers can belong to different levels
of hierarchy. The USE_EXPLODED_TEXT parameter of the
TEXT_OPTIONS statement specifies the behavior of the APIS program in
this case. If it is set to FALSE, only a top hierarchy level is used, and if TRUE
- text is sought at all hierarchy levels.
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• Specifying a name in the label file:

A labeling file can be used for net name specifying. The example of this file is
presented in Figure 8-17.
LABEL NAME=A X=4.2 Y=3.4 Z=3.3

LABEL NAME=B X=-2.4 Y=-1.4 Z=3.3
LABEL NAME=SUM X=-2.4 Y=-1.4 Z=3.3
LABEL NAME=VDD X=3.8 Y=3.2 LAYER=4
LABEL NAME=VSS X=-2.4 Y=-1. LAYER=4
LABEL NAME=pin1 X=-3.4 Y=-2 LAYER=4 VOLTAGE=1.0
LABEL NAME=pin2 X=-1.4 Y=-3. LAYER=4
Figure 8-17 An example of the labeling file

The only command LABEL is used in this file. Its parameters define name,
layer and 2D point. The name is attached to the polygon at the layer specified
which contains 2D point specified. Layer can be defined by number in the
GDS II file or by Z coordinate value. The value of Z should be not less than
LOCATION, and not greater then LOCATION+WIDTH, where LOCATION
and WIDTH are parameters of given layer from the GEOMETRY command.
If few different text labels can be attached to the single net, the following rules
of precedence are used to choose net name:
• Labels from the labeling file have higher precedence than labels from the
text layers.
• Labels from the same interconnect layer have higher precedence than la-
bels from other text layers.
• The first alphabetically label has higher precedence.
• Longer label has higher precedence.
If equal labels are attached to different nets, the behavior of the program is
defined by the MERGE_EQUAL_NETS parameter of the TEXT_OPTIONS
command. If this parameter is set to FALSE, net names are appended by the
unique postfix “_<n>”, where n is integer number, for example A_1,
A_2,.... If it is set to TRUE, all nets with equal names are merged into the
single net.
All unnamed nets obtain default names metal_1, metal_2,....
Defining Pins
For RI3 and RC3 current calculation, pins must be defined in the labeling file. A
pin definition is composed from pin name, pin location, pin layer number, and pin
type. While a pin name is defined by parameter NAME, pin type is defined by
parameter VOLTAGE. There are four types of pins:
• External Pin: Specifies the external node for RI3 and the voltage for RC3 cur-
rent calculation. The external pin type is defined by assigning parameter
VOLTAGE to a non-zero value.
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• Reference Pin: Defines the reference node in RI3. For RC3 current calcula-
tion, it merely defines voltage 0. The reference pin type is defined by assign-
ing parameter VOLTAGE to zero.
• Float Pin: Specifies the connection point in a net for connecting a net to a
plane in RI3. The float pin type is defined by not specifying parameter VOLT-
AGE in the pin definition. This type of pins will be treated as reference pins
in RC3 current calculation.
• Connection Pin: Defines a connection point on a plane for connecting a plane
to a net. The connection pin type is defined by assigning parameter VOLT-
AGE to a float pin name. This type of pin is treated as reference pins in RC3
current calculation.
In RC3 current calculation, if the layer is not a pin layer, the voltage value will be
ignored. If the voltage value is not specified in the label file for a pin, zero volts
will be assigned to the pin. In capacitance calculation, both pins and their voltage
will be ignored.
Generating RI3 Bars and Planes

APIS generates two types of RI3 nets: bar nets and plane nets. APIS treats physi-
cal connected metal shapes from GDSII as a net and translates them into either a
collection of connected bars to form a bar net or a collection of connected planes
to form a plane net. The generation of a bar net or a plane net is determined by the
pin types and the number of pins attached to the net.
• A net can have either pins with float pin type or pins with connection pin type,
but not both. Bar nets and plane nets are generated for the nets with float pins
and connection pins, respectively. If a net has neither float pins nor connection
pins attached to it, the types of net generated are determined by the number of
external pins and reference pins in the net as described below.
• Bar net generation: Float pins define the generation of bar nets. For the nets
that have neither a float pin nor a connection pin, bar nets are generated for
those nets that have more than one external/reference pin.
• Plane net generation: Connection pins define the generation of plane nets. For
the nets that have neither a float pin nor a connection pin, plane nets are gen-
erated for those nets that have zero or one external/reference pin.
• A connection between a bar net and a plane net can be established by refer-
encing a float pin through the VOLTAGE parameter in the pin definition of the
connection pin.
• A pin geometry shape cannot overlap two disconnected metal shapes.
• The original representation of polygon geometries in GDSII data is not pre-
served, but is fractured into rectangles and trapeziods along the x-direction.
Bars are generated based on the fractured geometries.
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The following is an example of generating two connected nets, one is a bar net and
one is a plane net. In this example, an inductor is connected to a ground plane as
shown in Figure 8-18.
Figure 8-18 GDSII Layout. An inductor is built from rectangles marked by the
red area. The green rectangle is on "bridge layer" and used for
wring currect across the inductor. The bule rectangles are on the
"via layer" for the connection between the inductor and the green
rectangle.
The “bridge layer” is used to wire the current from the inside of the inductor to the
outside. The “via layer” is used to make the physical connection between “induc-
tor layer” and “bridge layer”. APIS recognizes the geometries of “via layer” in
Figure 8-18 as a vertical connection and automatically generates vertical bars for
the connection. An external pin is defined in the labeling file and the layout on the
inductor. This pin is generated as an external node in RI3. A reference pin is
defined for the ground plane and is generated as a reference node in RI3.
Having a connection pin defined on the ground plane shape causes APIS to gener-
ate a plane net for this shape. A float pin attached to the inductor makes APIS to
generate a bar net for the inductor. The connection between the ground plane and
the inductor is made by having the connection pin reference the float pin on the
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inductor. Figure 8-19 shows the generated structure by APIS from Figure 8-18.
The RI3 data in 3D is generated from the GDSII layout data in Figure 8-18.
Figure 8-19 Translated RI3 inductor
The details of APIS commands and pin definition in the labeling file for this
example follow.
In the ASSIGN block:

ASSIGN {
inductor (38) /* inductor */
bridge (33) /* a high layer metal for connection*/
via (39) /* connection via between inductor and bridge */
pin (10) /*pin layer for inductor layer*/
gplane (160) /*ground plane layer*/
gplane_pin (22) /*pin layer for ground plane*/
}
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In the GEOMETRY command:

GEOMETRY {
gplane {
LOCATION=0.0 THICKNESS=1.0 RHO=2.0e-8
}
gplane_pin {
PIN=160
} /*define the pin layer for gplane layer*/
inductor {
}
via {
} /*for the physical connection between inductor and bridge*/
bridge {
}
pin {
PIN=38
} /*define the pin layer for inductor layer*/
}
In the labeling file:
LABEL NAME=drv X=-182.2 Y=52.15 LAYER=10 VOLTAGE=1.0
/*an external pin on inductor*/
LABEL NAME=net2plane X=195.0 Y=52.3 LAYER=10
/*a float pin for the connection between inductor and the ground plane*/
LABEL NAME=plan2net X=195.0 Y=52.3 LAYER=22 VOLT-
AGE=net2plan
/*make the connection by creating a connection pin to reference a float pin*/
LABEL NAME=grnd X=-175.0 Y=190.0 LAYER=22 VOLTAGE=0.0
/*a reference pin on the ground plane*/
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APIS Program Commands Raphael Reference Manual
APIS Program Commands

This section contains a guide to the commands and statements used in the APIS
command file.
HEADER
The HEADER statement specifies input GDSII file, input block name, output files
for RANXT and RC3 for capacitance and resistance calculation, RI3 inductance
calculation, and labeling file.
HEADER HEADER{
NLIB=<NAME>
BLOCK=<NAME>
[RANXT_TECH_FILE=<NAME> ]
[RC3_DESIGN_FILE=<NAME>]
[RC3_R_DESIGN_FILE=<NAME>]
[RI3_DESIGN_FILE=<NAME>]
[RANXT_DESIGN_FILE=<NAME>]
[RANXT_RUN_FILE=<NAME>]
[RANXT_GRIDS_PER_METER] = <NUMBER>]
[LABELING_FILE=<NAME>]
[ITF_FILE=<NAME>]
[EPS_DEFAULT=<NUMBER>]
[GROUND_LOC=<NUMBER>]
}

INLIB character Name of the input GDSII
stream file
BLOCK character Name of the block in the
GDSII file, which should be
processed
RC3_DESIGN_FILE character Name of the output file in RC3
format for capacitance calcula-
tion
RC3_R_DESIGN_FILE character Name of the output file in RC3
format for inductance calcula-
tion
RI3_DESIGN_FILE character Name of the output file in RI3
format for resistance calcula-
tion
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Raphael Reference Manual APIS Program Commands

RANXT_TECH_FILE character Name of output file for
Raphael NXT technology file
RANXT_DESIGN_FILE character Name of output file for
Raphael NXT design file
RANXT_RUN_FILE character Name of output file for
Raphael NXT control
RANXT_GRIDS_PER_METER number Grid specification for Raphael
NXT
LABELING_FILE character Name of labeling file
default value: none
ITF_FILE character ITF file to be processed
GROUND_LOC number Location of ground plane and
default value: 0.0 bottom of the dielectric stack.
EPS_DEFAULT number Default permittivity outside of
default value: 1.0 the dielectric stack
The HEADER statement is mandatory. INLIB and BLOCK are mandatory param-
eters. The RANXT_DESIGN_FILE, RC3_DESIGN_FILE,
RC3_R_DESIGN_FILE, and RI3_DESIGN_FILE parameters determine the
type of output, NXT, RC3 for capacitance calculation, RC3 for resistance calcula-
tion, and RI3 for inductance calculation, respectively. If none of those parameters
are specified by default, only NXT data will be generated. LABELING_FILE is
an optional parameter for RC3 calculation. But it is mandatory for RI3 calcula-
tion. The value of the BLOCK parameter should be a name of a cell which has to
be extracted from the GDSII file. Plain GDS II file contains the only cell, while
hierarchical one can contain a particular number of cells which can be extracted
The RANXT_GRIDS_PER_METER parameter is used to specify the grid density

that Raphael NXT uses to represent the structure. Typically this parameter should
be chosen so that there are approximately 100 grid points for the smallest feature
size. Thus, if you have a 90-nm proxies, RANXT_GRIDS_PER_METER=1e9
would be a good choice. RANXT_GRIDS_PER_METER is used by APIS in con-
verting both the GDS2 data and the layer thickness in the geometry section into
appropriate integer values for Raphael NXT. Using too small a value for
RANXT_GRIDS_PER_METER results in inaccuracy because geometries may not
be represented accurately. Using too large a value for
RANXT_GRIDS_PER_METER may cause longer runtimes, although usually this
is a weak effect. For example, using RANXT_GRIDS_PER_METER=1e10 when
RANXT_GRIDS_PER_METER=1e9 is sufficient, results in about a 2X increase
in runtime
APIS can obtain information about the dielectric stack and metal layers from an
interconnect technology format (ITF) file. The name of the file is specified with
ITF_FILE. In addition, the GROUND_LOC parameter is used to set the vertical
position of the ground plan and dielectric stack. The EPS_DEFAULT file can be
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used to set the default relative permittivity for the simulation window. Since the
ITF file does not contain information about how layers assigned, it is still neces-
sary to use the ASSIGN command to specify the required layer information.
More information about the ITF file format is provided in the Star-RCXT Refer-
ence Manual.
CAUTION
The parser in APIS only understands a subset of the ITF commands. Process
variation, air gaps, and trapezoidal dielectrics are not supported. In addi-
tion, conformal dielectrics specified using the MEASURED_FROM =
TOP_OF_CHIP option are handled correctly. When multiple conformal di-
electric layers are stacked, the lower dielectrics must have THICKNESS =
0.0 to be processed correctly. Check the generated RC3 and Raphael NXT
files as well as the screen output.
Example:
HEADER {
INLIB = ad4ful1.gds
BLOCK = ADFULAH
RC3_DESIGN_FILE=adfulah.rc3
RC3_R_DESIGN_FILE=adfulah_r.rc3
}
HEADER {
INLIB = ad4ful1.gds
BLOCK = ADFULAB
ITF_FILE = adfulab.itf
RANXT_TECH_FILE=adfulah.tec
RANXT_DESIGN_FILE=adfulah.des
}
ASSIGN
The ASSIGN command names the layers which are loaded from the GDS II file.
ASSIGN {
<LAYER NAME> (<NUMBER>)[TEXT (<NUMBER>)]
[<LAYER NAME> (<NUMBER>)[TEXT (<NUMBER>)]]
...
}
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<LAYER NAME> character Name of the layer
<NUMBER> number Number of the layer in the GDSII file
TEXT character Attaches text layer to interconnect layer
Layer names, defined in the ASSIGN command, identify layers in BOOLEAN,

SIZE, GEOMETRY and CONFORMAL commands. At least one layer should be
assigned in the input file. TEXT is optional parameter. If text layer is attached to
the interconnect layer, it will be sought for net labels.
Example:
ASSIGN {
poly (5)
met1(8) text (100)
met2(10) text (120)
pin_met1 (300)
}
BOOLEAN
The BOOLEAN command performs Boolean operations with layers
BOOLEAN <BOOLEAN EXPRESSION> TEMP=<NAME>

<BOOLEAN EXPRESSION> Boolean expression (see below)
TEMP character A name of the resulting layer
Boolean expression is composed of the elementary expressions of the form:
<layer name 1> <boolean operator> <layer name 2>
where <layer name 1> and <layer name 2> are any valid layer names, defined in
the ASSIGN BOOLEAN or SIZE commands above the current command;
<boolean operator> is one of the following Boolean operators:
AND - the intersection of data from layer 1 and layer 2

NOT - the subtraction of data from layer 1 and layer 2
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OR - the merge of data from layer 1 and layer 2

XOR - the unique data of layer 1 and layer 2
Boolean expressions are calculated using the following operator precedence (from
highest to lowest): OR, XOR, NOT, AND. To override these rules, parentheses
can be used.
Value of the TEMP parameter is a name of the output layer. This name can be used
in BOOLEAN, SIZE, CONFORMAL and GEOMETRY commands.
Example:
BOOLEAN ( layer1 NOT layer2 ) AND layer3
TEMP=layer4
SIZE
The SIZE command changes size of all polygons of the layer
SIZE <LAYER NAME> {UNDERSIZE=<VALUE> |OVERSIZE=<VALUE>}

TEMP=<NAME>

<LAYER NAME> character Any layer name, defined above in this
command file
UNDERSIZE <VALUE> Performs a shrinking of each polygon in
the selected layer
OVERSIZE <VALUE> Performs a expanding of each polygon in
the selected layer
TEMP character A name of the resulting layer
<LAYER NAME> should be defined above in the current command file in the
ASSIGN BOOLEAN or SIZE commands.
The UNDERSIZE statement subtracts the specified amount (in μm) from each
edge of each polygon on the selected layer. Thin areas of polygons may be
removed depending on the polygon width and undersize value.
The OVERSIZE operator adds the specified amount (in μm) to each edge of each
polygon on the selected layer. Notches in polygons may be filled in depending on
the notch width and oversize value.
Value of the TEMP parameter is a name of the output layer. This name can be used
in BOOLEAN, SIZE CONFORMAL and GEOMETRY commands.
Example:
SIZE met1 { OVERSIZE=1.0 } TEMP=met2
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SIZE met1 { UNDERSIZE=1.0 } TEMP=met3
Results of operations are shown in Figure 8-9.
GEOMETRY
The GEOMETRY command specifies a 3D geometry of interconnect structure.
GEOMETRY {
<LAYER NAME> {
LOCATION=<NUMBER>
THICKNESS=V
[RHO=<VALUE>]
}
<LAYER NAME>{
PIN=<LAYER NUMBER>
}]
[GROUNDPLANE {
LOCATION=<NUMBER>
THICKNESS=<NUMBER>
}]
[ <LAYER NAME> {
LOCATION=<NUMBER>
THICKNESS=<NUMBER>
[RHO=<VALUE>]
[ <LAYER NAME> {
PIN=<LAYER NUMBER>
}]
} ...]

<LAYER NAME> character Any layer name, defined above in this
command file
LOCATION <VALUE> Specifies Z coordinate of the bottom of
the layer (in μm)
PIN <NUMBER> Specifies the layer number to which the
pin layer is attached. This parameter
defines a layer as a pin layer.
RHO <VALUE> Specifies the resistivity of the layer. This
value is used to generate the RC3 input
file for current and resistance calcula-
tions.
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THICKNESS <VALUE> Specifies thickness of the layer in Z
direction (in μm)
GROUNDPLANE Specifies location and thickness of the
ground plane
At least one layer should be defined in the GEOMETRY command.
It is assumed that each polygon on the layer given is a base of right prism. Height
of the prism is equal to the parameter THICKNESS, and the prism spans in the
positive Z direction.
<LAYER NAME> should be defined above in the current command file in the
ASSIGN BOOLEAN or SIZE commands, and the GEOMETRY command should
follow after all above.
The ground plane is a special layer in the structure and is not contained in the
GDSII file. The LOCATION parameter specifies top coordinate of the ground
plane. It is supposed that the ground plane parallelepiped fills the entire simulation
window in the XY plane, and spans in the negative Z direction by the THICK-
NESS value.
Example:
GEOMETRY {
GROUNDPLANE {LOCATION=0. THICKNESS=1.}
met1 {LOCATION=3.2 THICKNESS=0.8}
RHO=1.0e-06}
via {LOCATION=4. THICKNESS=0.8}
met2 {LOCATION=4.8 THICKNESS=0.8}
pin_met1 {PIN=8}
}
DIELECTRIC
The DIELECTRIC command specifies a dielectric stack
DIELECTRIC {
EPS=<VALUE> DEFAULT
EPS=<VALUE> LOCATION=<VALUE> THICKNESS=<VALUE>
[EPS=<VALUE> LOCATION=<VALUE> THICKNESS=<VALUE>
...]
}
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EPS <VALUE> Permittivity of dielectric material
LOCATION <VALUE> Specifies location of the layer in Z direction
(in μm)
THICKNESS <VALUE> Specifies thickness of the layer in Z direc-
tion (in μm)
DEFAULT Specifies the default material permittivity
The DIELECTRIC is an optional command. By default it is supposed that metal

nets are placed into the uniform dielectric with ε=1.
Each group of parameters in the DIELECTRIC command defines plane dielectric

layer that spans along Z coordinate from the LOCATION to the LOCA-
TION+THICKNESS. Permittivity of its material is equal to EPS.
If layers with different permittivity overlap, next layer hides previous.
The DEFAULT parameter defines permittivity of dielectric material that fills the
whole unfilled space.
Example:
DIELECTRIC {
{EPS=3.2 DEFAULT}
{ EPS=2.6 LOCATION=1. THICKNESS=0.8}
{ EPS=1.5 LOCATION=2.5 THICKNESS=2.}
}
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CONFORMAL
The CONFORMAL command specifies conformal dielectric layers.
CONFORMAL {
{
NAME=<CHARACTER>
PARENT_NAME=<CHARACTER>
EPS=<VALUE>
XY_INFLATION=<VALUE>
ZP_INFLATION=<VALUE>
ZN_INFLATION=<VALUE>
}
[{
NAME=<CHARACTER>
PARENT_NAME=<CHARACTER>
EPS=<VALUE>
XY_INFLATION=<VALUE>
ZP_INFLATION=<VALUE>
ZN_INFLATION=<VALUE>
}...]
}

NAME character Name of conformal dielectric
PARENT_NAME character Name of parent interconnect layer or

conformal dielectric.
EPS <VALUE> Permittivity of the material of conformal
dielectric
XY_INFLATION <VALUE> Specifies the extension of the dielectric
out of the parent box in the XY plane in
μm (see Figure 8-20)
ZN_INFLATION <VALUE> Specifies the extension of the dielectric
below the parent box in μm (see Figure
8-20)
ZP_INFLATION <VALUE> Specifies the extension of the dielectric
above the parent box in μm (see Figure
8-20)
Name of the conformal dielectric can be used below in the same CONFORMAL
statement, if it is covered by next conformal dielectric. PARENT_NAME can be a
layer name, defined in the ASSIGN, BOOLEAN and SIZE commands as well as a
conformal dielectric name defined in the CONFORMAL command above.
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Positive ZN_INFLATION means spanning of dielectric to negative Z direction.
Figure 8-20 Parameters of the CONFORMAL command
Example:
CONFORMAL {
{
NAME=conformal1
PARENT_NAME=mat1
EPS=2.8
XY_INFLATION=0.5
ZN_INFLATION=0.6
ZP_INFLATION=0.3
}
{
NAME=conformal2
PARENT_NAME=conformal1
EPS=3.4
XY_INFLATION=0.4
ZN_INFLATION=0.8
ZP_INFLATION=0.2
}
}
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RI3_OPTIONS
The RI3_OPTIONS command specifies the ri3 parameters for RI3 calculation.
For details, please refer to “RI3: 3D Resistance and Inductance with Skin Effect.
RI3_OPTIONS {
FRCTN=<VALUE>
START_FREQ=<VALUE>
END_FREQ=<VALUE>
LINEAR=<NUMBER>
DECADE=<NUMBER>
PLANE_NX=<NUMBER>
PLANE_NY=<NUMBER>
PLANE_DX=<VALUE>
PLANE_DY=<VALUE>
SPARAMETER=<BOOLEAN>
IMPEDANCE=<BOOLEAN>
ADMITTANCE=<BOOLEAN>
OUTPUT=<BOOLEAN>
}

FRCTN <VALUE> The value of FRCTN in RI3 for multi-bar
calculation. If this parameter is specified,
multi-bars are generated. Otherwise, sin-
gle bars are generated.
Default value:
START_FREQ <VALUE> Specifies the value of START_FREQ
parameter in FREQUENCY command in
RI3.
Default value:
END_FREQ <VALUE> Specifies the value of END_FREQ
parameter in FREQUENCY command
in RI3.
Default value:
LINEAR <NUMBER> Specifies the value of LINEAR parame-
ter in FREQUENCY command in RI3.
Default value:
DECADE <NUMBER> Specifies the value of DECADE parame-
ter in FREQUENCY command in RI3.
Default value:
PLANE_NX <NUMBER> Specifies the value of N1 parameter in
PLANE_NODE command in RI3.
Default value:
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PLANE_NY <NUMBER> Specifies the value of N2 parameter in
PLANE_NODE command in RI3.
Default value:
PLANE_DX <VALUE> Specifies the interval in μm for calculat-
ing N1 parameter in PLANE_NODE
command in RI3.
Default value:
PLANE_DY <VALUE> Specifies the interval in μm for calculat-
ing N2 parameter in PLANE_NODE
command in RI3.
Default value:
SPARAMETER <BOOLEAN> Generates PARAMETER commands for
RI3.
Default value:
IMPEDANCE <BOOLEAN> Generates IMPEDANCE commands for
RI3.
Default value:
ADMITTANCE <BOOLEAN> Generates ADMITTANCE commands for
RI3
Default value:
OUTPUT <BOOLEAN> Generates OUTPUT commands for RI3
Default value:
WINDOW
The WINDOW command specifies simulation box:
WINDOW {
LEFT=<VALUE>
RIGHT=<VALUE>
TOP=<VALUE>
BOTTOM=<VALUE>
ZMIN=<VALUE>
ZMAX=<VALUE>
}
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LEFT <VALUE> Minimal X coordinate of the simulating
box (in μm)
Default value: minimal value of X coor-
dinate of whole structure
RIGHT <VALUE> Maximal X coordinate of the simulating
box (in μm)
Default value: maximal value of X coor-
BOTTOM <VALUE> Minimal Y coordinate of the simulating
box (in μm)
Default value: minimal value of Y coor-
TOP <VALUE> Maximal Y coordinate of the simulating
box (in μm)
Default value: maximal value of Y coor-
ZMIN <VALUE> Minimal Z coordinate of the simulating
box (in μm)
Default value: minimal value of Z coor-
dinate of whole structure or Z coordinate
of the middle of the ground plane
ZMAX <VALUE> Maximal Z coordinate of the simulating
box (in μm)
Default value: maximal value of Z coor-
All metal or dielectric boxes out of the window is ignored by the RC3 field solver.
By default, the window box is chosen as a minimal box which includes all metal
and dielectric boxes and the upper half of the ground box.
Example:
WINDOW {
LEFT=0.
RIGHT=10.
BOTTOM=0.
TOP=5.
ZMIN=-10.
ZMAX=5.
}
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TEXT_OPTIONS
The TEXT_OPTIONS statement specifies the behavior of the APIS program in
the case of hierarchical label structure of the GDS II file and in the case when dif-
ferent nets obtain equal names.
TEXT_OPTIONS {
USE_EXPLODED_TEXT=TRUE|FALSE
MERGE_EQUAL_NETS=TRUE|FALSE
}

USE_EXPLODED_TEXT <LOGICAL> Specifies behavior of the APIS
program in the case of hierarchi-
cal label structure of the GDS II
file
Default value: FALSE
MERGE_EQUAL_NETS <LOGICAL> Specifies behavior of the APIS
program in the case when differ-
ent nets obtain equal names
Default value: TRUE
If the USE_EXPLODED_TEXT parameter is set to TRUE, a text from all levels of

hierarchy is used for labelling. FALSE means that only the highest hierarchy level
text is used. This option works only in the case of hierarchic GDS II file. By
default, labels can be chosen from only the top hierarchy level of the extracted
cell. If design consists of few identical cells, nets can have different labels depend-
ing while they considered as a part of the whole design or they are extracted from
the whole design. For example, a cell being extracted from the design can have a
net with a label SUM, but in the whole structure this net can have a label SUM2. In
the case of plain GDS II files, this option has no action.
If the MERGE_EQUAL_NETS parameter is set to TRUE, nets with equal names are
merged into the single net. If it is set to FALSE, equal net names are modified to
make them different. For example, if nets have the same name Met1, their names
will be Met1, Met1_1, Met1_2. By default, nets with equal names are merged
into the single net.
Example:
TEXT_OPTIONS {
USE_EXPLODED_TEXT=TRUE
MERGE_EQUAL_NETS=FALSE
}
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VOLTAGE
The VOLTAGE command specifies the electric potential at the net
VOLTAGE {
{
NET_NAME=<STRING>
VALUE=<VALUE>
}
[{
NET_NAME=<STRING>
VALUE=<VALUE>
} ... ]
}

NET_NAME <STRING> Name of the net
VALUE <VALUE> Value of the voltage (in V)

default value: 0.
This command defines the VOLT parameter in RC3 file.
Example:
VOLTAGE {
{
NET_NAME=SUM
VALUE=1.
}
}
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CONNECTING
The CONNECTING command merges unconnected nets
CONNECTING {
{
<NET NAME>
[<NET NAME> ]
[GROUND]
[UNNAMED]
}
[{
<NET NAME>
[<NET NAME> ]
} ... ]
}

<NET NAME> <STRING> Name of the net
UNNAMED Specifies all unnamed nets to be merged
with other nets of the group
GROUND Specifies all nets of the group to be
grounded
This command merges different nets into a single net. This command is used
when it is assumed that some nets are connected out of the simulating structure.
All nets of the each group are merged into the single net. If the GROUND keyword
is specified in the group, all nets are connected to ground. The UNNAMED keyword
means that all unnamed nets are merged with other nets in the group.
Example:
CONNECTING {
{ VSS VDD GROUND }
{ UNNAMED GROUND }
}
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Labeling File Format Raphael Reference Manual
Labeling File Format

The labeling file is used for defining names of nets, defining pins, and assigning a
voltage value to a pin. Voltage value defines pin types in RI3 and is used to gener-
ate a RC3 input file for current and resistance calculations. Mechanism of labeling
and voltage assignment follow. For each label, a text string and its location are
defined. The location specification consists of layer identifier and 2D point. The
APIS program finds polygon at the specified layer which contains the point and
then attaches label and voltage values to this polygon. During nets constructing,
labels from the polygons are attached to the corresponding nets. If net obtains
more than one label, the name of the net is chosen from the labels using prece-
dence rules. See Specifying Net Names, p. 8-12.
Labeling file consists of strings with the LABEL command.
LABEL NAME=<NAME> X=<VALUE> Y=<VALUE> LAYER=<NUM-

BER>|Z=<VALUE>[<VOLTAGE>=<VALUE/STRING>]
........
LABEL NAME=<NAME> X=<VALUE> Y=<VALUE> LAYER=<NUM-
BER>|Z=<VALUE>[<VOLTAGE>=<VALUE>]
Default: If the layer is a pin layer, the default value for pin is zero.
The LABEL command has following parameters:

<NAME> <STRING> Label text
X <VALUE> X coordinate of the label (in μm)
Y <VALUE> Y coordinate of the label (in μm)
LAYER <NUMBER> Layer number in the GDS II file
Z <VALUE> Z location of the layer (in μm)
<VOLTAGE> <VALUE> or The value of voltage on a pin or a float
<STRING> pin name
Default: If the layer is a pin layer, the default value for pin is zero.
Layer can be specified by its number in the GDS II file or by its Z location. The
value of Z should fall between LOCATION and LOCATION+WIDTH values as
they are defined in the GEOMETRY command (see GEOMETRY, p. 8-23).If the
layer is a pin layer, as an option, VOLTAGE specifies the voltage value of the pin.
Example:
LABEL NAME=net1 X=-1.6 Y=3.4 LAYER=0
LABEL NAME=net2 X=3.0 Y=-2.0 LAYER=2
LABEL NAME=net3 X=3.4 Y=2.8 Z=4.6
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Raphael Reference Manual Labeling File Format
LABEL NAME=pin1 X=1.4 Y=3.8 LAYER=300 VOLTAGE=1.0

LABEL NAME=pin2 X=3.9 Y=8.6 LAYER=200
LABEL NAME=pin3 X=3.9 Y=8.6 LAYER=100
VOLTAGE=pin2
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Labeling File Format Raphael Reference Manual
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APPENDIX A
RIL Templates
A
This appendix contains drawings of the templates currently available under RIL.
There are 30 templates allowing up to 9 variations of a given template. Only one
representation of each template is presented in this appendix.
3D Structures
The 3D structures are the following:
Figure A-1 2 Pins/Vias with pads in antipad holes of a plane....................... A-4
Figure A-2 Equivalent circuit for 2 Pins/Vias with pads in antipad
holes of a plane ........................................................................... A-4
Figure A-3 2 Pins/Vias with pads above a solid plane .................................. A-5
Figure A-4 Equivalent circuit for 2 Pins/Vias with pads above a
solid plane ................................................................................... A-5
Figure A-5 2 Pins/Vias with pads above a plane with antipads .................... A-6
Figure A-6 Equivalent circuit for 2 Pins/Vias with pads above a
plane with antipads ..................................................................... A-6
Figure A-7 Trace bend above a plane............................................................ A-7
Figure A-8 Equivalent circuit for trace bend above a plane .......................... A-7
Figure A-9 Trace bend above a plane............................................................ A-8
Figure A-10 Equivalent circuit for trace bend above a plane .......................... A-8
Figure A-11 Trace widening between 2 planes ............................................... A-9
Figure A-12 Equivalent circuit for trace widening between 2 planes ............. A-9
Figure A-13 Trace widening between 2 planes ............................................. A-10
Figure A-14 Equivalent circuit for trace widening between 2 planes ........... A-10
Figure A-15 Trace narrowing above a plane ................................................. A-11
Figure A-16 Equivalent circuit for trace narrowing above a plane ............... A-11
Figure A-17 Trace narrowing between 2 planes ........................................... A-12
Figure A-18 Equivalent circuit for trace narrowing between 2 planes.......... A-12
Figure A-19 A pad above a plane.................................................................. A-13
Figure A-20 Equivalent circuit for a pad above a plane ................................ A-13
Figure A-21 A crossover of two traces above a ground plane ...................... A-14
Figure A-22 Equivalent circuit for a crossover of two traces above
a ground plane........................................................................... A-14
Figure A-23 A two-level crossover above a ground plane ............................ A-15
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2D Structures Raphael Reference Manual
Figure A-24 Equivalent circuit for a two level cross-over above a5

ground plane..............................................................................A-16
Figure A-25 A three-level crossover above a ground plane...........................A-16
Figure A-26 Equivalent circuit for a three level cross-over above a6
ground plane..............................................................................A-17
2D Structures
The 2D structures are the following:
Figure A-27 3 parallel bonding wires ............................................................A-17
Figure A-28 Equivalent circuit for 3 parallel bonding wires .........................A-17
Figure A-29 Equal width/spacing traces without ground plane.....................A-18
Figure A-30 Equivalent circuit for equal width/spacing traces
without ground plane.................................................................A-18
Figure A-31 Equal width/spacing traces with one ground plane ...................A-19
Figure A-32 Equivalent circuit for equal width/spacing traces with
one ground plane .......................................................................A-19
Figure A-33 Equal width/spacing traces between two ground planes ...........A-20
Figure A-34 Equivalent circuit for equal width/spacing traces
between two ground planes .......................................................A-20
Figure A-35 Array above substrate below dense array ..................................A-21
Figure A-36 Equivalent circuit for array above substrate below
dense array.................................................................................A-21
Figure A-37 Unequal width/spacing traces without ground plane ................A-22
Figure A-38 Equivalent circuit for unequal width/spacing traces
without ground plane.................................................................A-22
Figure A-39 Unequal width/spacing traces with one ground plane...............A-23
with one ground plane ...............................................................A-23
Figure A-41 Unequal width/spacing traces between two ground planes.......A-24
between two ground planes .......................................................A-24
Figure A-43 Conformal dielectric layer on top of parallel lines....................A-25
Figure A-44 Equivalent circuit for conformal dielectric layer on
top of parallel lines....................................................................A-25
Figure A-45 Two conformal dielectric layers on top of parallel lines ...........A-26
Figure A-46 Equivalent circuit for two conformal dielectric layers
on top of parallel lines...............................................................A-26
Figure A-47 Conformal dielectric layer and metal layer on top of
parallel lines ..............................................................................A-27
Figure A-48 Equivalent circuit for conformal dielectric layer and
metal layer on top of parallel lines ............................................A-27
Figure A-49 Two conformal dielectric layers and metal layer on
top of parallel lines....................................................................A-28
Figure A-50 Equivalent circuit for two conformal dielectric layers
and metal layer on top of parallel lines .....................................A-28
Figure A-51 Conformal dielectric layer on top of parallel lines
with sidewall spacers.................................................................A-29
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Raphael Reference Manual 2D Structures
Figure A-52 Equivalent circuit for conformal dielectric layer on

top of parallel lines with sidewall spacers ................................ A-29
Figure A-53 Conformal dielectric layer and metal layer on top of
parallel lines with sidewall spacers........................................... A-30
Figure A-54 Equivalent circuit for conformal dielectric layer and
metal layer on top of parallel lines with sidewall spacers ........ A-30
Figure A-55 Overlap conductor above metal trace and ground plane........... A-31
Figure A-56 Equivalent circuit for overlap conductor above metal
trace and ground plane.............................................................. A-31
Figure A-57 Level 1 array under parallel level 2 array above substrate........ A-32
Figure A-58 Equivalent circuit for level 1 array under parallel level 2
array above substrate ................................................................ A-32
Figure A-59 Level 2 array under parallel level 1 array above substrate........ A-33
Figure A-60 Equivalent circuit for level 2 array under parallel level 1
array above substrate ................................................................ A-33
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Figure A-1 2 Pins/Vias with pads in antipad holes of a plane
Figure A-2 Equivalent circuit for 2 Pins/Vias with pads in antipad holes of a
plane
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Figure A-3 2 Pins/Vias with pads above a solid plane
Figure A-4 Equivalent circuit for 2 Pins/Vias with pads above a solid plane
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Figure A-5 2 Pins/Vias with pads above a plane with antipads
Figure A-6 Equivalent circuit for 2 Pins/Vias with pads above a plane with
antipads
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Figure A-7 Trace bend above a plane
Figure A-8 Equivalent circuit for trace bend above a plane
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Figure A-9 Trace bend above a plane
Figure A-10 Equivalent circuit for trace bend above a plane
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Figure A-11 Trace widening between 2 planes
Figure A-12 Equivalent circuit for trace widening between 2 planes
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Figure A-13 Trace widening between 2 planes
Figure A-14 Equivalent circuit for trace widening between 2 planes
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Figure A-15 Trace narrowing above a plane
Figure A-16 Equivalent circuit for trace narrowing above a plane
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Figure A-17 Trace narrowing between 2 planes
Figure A-18 Equivalent circuit for trace narrowing between 2 planes
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Figure A-19 A pad above a plane
Figure A-20 Equivalent circuit for a pad above a plane
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Figure A-21 A crossover of two traces above a ground plane
Figure A-22 Equivalent circuit for a crossover of two traces above a ground
plane
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Figure A-23 A two-level crossover above a ground plane
Figure A-24 Equivalent circuit for a two-level crossover above a ground plane
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Figure A-25 A three-level crossover above a ground plane
Figure A-26 Equivalent circuit for a three-level crossover above a ground

plane
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Figure A-27 Three parallel bonding wires
Figure A-28 Equivalent circuit for three parallel bonding wires
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Figure A-29 Equal width/spacing traces without ground plane
Figure A-30 Equivalent circuit for equal width/spacing traces without ground
plane
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Figure A-31 Equal width/spacing traces with one ground plane
Figure A-32 Equivalent circuit for equal width/spacing traces with one ground
plane
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Figure A-33 Equal width/spacing traces between two ground planes
Figure A-34 Equivalent circuit for equal width/spacing traces between two
ground planes
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Figure A-35 Array above substrate below dense array
Figure A-36 Equivalent circuit for array above substrate below dense array
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Figure A-37 Unequal width/spacing traces without ground plane
Figure A-38 Equivalent circuit for unequal width/spacing traces without ground
plane
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Figure A-39 Unequal width/spacing traces with one ground plane
Figure A-40 Equivalent circuit for unequal width/spacing traces with one
ground plane
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Figure A-41 Unequal width/spacing traces between two ground planes
Figure A-42 Equivalent circuit for unequal width/spacing traces between two
ground planes
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Figure A-43 Conformal dielectric layer on top of parallel lines
Figure A-44 Equivalent circuit for conformal dielectric layer on top of parallel
lines
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Figure A-45 Two conformal dielectric layers on top of parallel lines
Figure A-46 Equivalent circuit for two conformal dielectric layers on top of
parallel lines
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Figure A-47 Conformal dielectric layer and metal layer on top of parallel lines
Figure A-48 Equivalent circuit for conformal dielectric layer and metal layer on
top of parallel lines
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Figure A-49 Two conformal dielectric layers and metal layer on top of parallel
lines
Figure A-50 Equivalent circuit for two conformal dielectric layers and metal
layer on top of parallel lines
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Figure A-51 Conformal dielectric layer on top of parallel lines with sidewall
spacers
Figure A-52 Equivalent circuit for conformal dielectric layer on top of parallel
lines with sidewall spacers
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Figure A-53 Conformal dielectric layer and metal layer on top of parallel lines
with sidewall spacers
Figure A-54 Equivalent circuit for conformal dielectric layer and metal layer on
top of parallel lines with sidewall spacers
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Figure A-55 Overlap conductor above metal trace and ground plane
Figure A-56 Equivalent circuit for overlap conductor above metal trace and
ground plane
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Figure A-57 Level 1 array under parallel level 2 array above substrate
Figure A-58 Equivalent circuit for level 1 array under parallel level 2 array
above substrate
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Figure A-59 Level 2 array under parallel level 1 array above substrate
Figure A-60 Equivalent circuit for level 2 array under parallel level 1 array
above substrate
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APPENDIX B
Boundary
Conditions for the
BEM Solvers
B
Introduction
While the finite-difference solvers, RC2 and RC3, always assume a Neumann
condition on the window boundaries, the boundary-element solvers, RC2-BEM
and RC3-BEM, allow the user to choose among three different boundary condi-
tions: open-space, Neumann, or Dirichlet. A proper choice of these boundary con-
ditions can improve the accuracy and/or performance of simulation. These
sections discuss the possible choices.
Open-Space Boundary Condition

By default, RC2-BEM and RC3-BEM assume the open-space condition on the
window boundaries. Effectively, the window boundaries are non-existent and the
“radiation” condition is implied that the electric field at infinity is zero. The bot-
tom ground plane and planar dielectric layers that cover the entire window are
extended to infinity. Otherwise, the free space is assumed beyond the boundaries.
The open-space boundary condition is ideal for simulating isolated structures. For
the on-chip application, however, caution is to be exercised because an isolated
structure, without the influence of neighboring conductors, can hardly be guaran-
teed.
Note:
To correlate the results between RC2-BEM and RC2 (or, RC3-BEM and
RC3), both using the default boundary conditions (i.e., the former with
open-space and the latter with Neumann), the window size needs to be
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Neumann Boundary Condition (or, Magnetic Ground Plane) Raphael Reference Manual
made large enough so that the electric field on the window boundaries is
nearly negligible.
Neumann Boundary Condition (or, Magnetic Ground Plane)

The Neumann boundary condition is the default of RC2 and RC3, and it forces the
normal component of the electric field at the window boundaries to be zero (i.e.,
∂V/∂n=0). Effectively, both the geometry and potential distribution are reflected
with respect to the boundary (see Figure B-1). Thus, the following terms are often
used synonymously: Neumann boundary condition, reflective boundary condition,
magnetic ground plane, even mode, and “hard” boundary condition.
When the structures are symmetric, and the biasing condition is such that the
potential distribution is also symmetric, the property of magnetic ground planes
can be exploited to reduce the storage and CPU time of simulation. The setup files
of the Raphael Parasitic Database (RPD) fully utilized this symmetric property, so
the command option -s M (or -s BB) need be specified, if RC2-BEM (or RC3-
BEM) is to be used.
In general, the Neumann boundary condition results in a better approximation of

an open region than the Dirichlet boundary condition.
1V 1V 1V
image
conductor
Magnetic Ground Plane ∂V/∂n=0
Figure B-1 A conductor next to a magnetic plane and the corresponding

equivalent structure
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Raphael Reference Manual Dirichlet Boundary Condition (or Electric Ground Plane)
Dirichlet Boundary Condition (or Electric Ground Plane)

The Dirichlet boundary condition forces the tangential component of the electric
field at the window boundaries to be zero. Geometrically, it is equivalent to having
an electric ground plane at the boundary. This electric ground plane is conve-
niently chosen to be the reference conductor at 0 volt (i.e., V=0). From the image
theory, an image conductor of the same voltage but different polarity can be used
in place of this electric ground plane (see Figure B-2). Thus, the following terms
are often used synonymously: Dirichlet boundary condition, electric ground
plane, odd mode, and “soft” boundary condition.
Currently, RC2-BEM and RC3-BEM allow electric ground planes to be specified

at either the minimum or the maximum window boundary, but not both. The verti-
cal electric ground planes are not often used for on-chip application.
1V -1V 1V
image
conductor
V=0
Electric Ground Plane
Figure B-2 A conductor next to an electric plane and the corresponding

equivalent structure
Two Magnetic Planes Facing Each Other

All of the previously mentioned boundary conditions are implemented in the
BEM solver in an exact manner, except for the case where two magnetic planes
are facing each other (note that the BEM solvers do not allow two electric planes
to face each other). A conductor between these two magnetic planes introduces an
infinite number of images (Figure B-3). Currently, the BEM solvers uses only four
images (two images on each side), and these images are enclosed in the rectangu-
lar box in Figure B-3.
These four images represents a good approximation of the original problem with
infinite many images since all images have the same voltage value. However, if
your simulation window is relatively tall, four images may not be sufficient
enough to model infinite many images, and the FD solvers are recommended for
such problems.
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Two Magnetic Planes Facing Each Other Raphael Reference Manual
1V 1V 1V 1V 1V 1V 1V
Magnetic Ground Planes
actual conductor image conductor
Figure B-3 Equivalent representation of a conductor between two magnetic

planes
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APPENDIX C
Capacitance Theory
C
Maxwell’s Equations
Faraday’s law:
∂B
∇ × E = – ------ Equation C-1
∂t
Ampere’s law:
∇ × H = ∂D
------- + J Equation C-2
∂t
Gauss’ law:
∇•B = 0 Equation C-3
∇•D = ρ Equation C-4
In electrostatics, use
∇× E = 0 Equation C-5
Because
∇ × ( ∇ φ) ≡ 0 Equation C-7
let
E = –∇ φ Equation C-8
From D = ε E and Equations C-6 and C-8, you have Poisson’s Equation.
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Poisson’s Equation Raphael Reference Manual
Poisson’s Equation
2 ρ
∇ φ = – --- Equation C-9
ε
In a homogeneous medium, you must solve Equation C-9 with the boundary con-
dition that E vanishes at infinity.
Green’s Function
Solve the following instead:
2 δ( r )
∇ G ( r ) = – ---------- Equation C-10
ε
with the boundary condition:
∇ G(r) = 0 as r →∞ Equation C-11
Here, r = R – R' , and G(r) is called Green’s function.
The reason for using Green’s function is that if you know G(r), ( = G ( R, R' ) ),
then
(R) =
∫ G ( R, R' ) ρ ( R' )dV Equation C-12
V'
The primed coordinates are used for the source points, and the unprimed coordi-
nates are used for the field (or observation, or testing) points.
For r > 0 , Equation C-10 is reduced to
2
∇ G(r) = 0 Equation C-13
The solutions for Equations C-13 and C-11 are
1
G ( r ) = c 1 + c 2 --- for 3D, Equation C-14
r
and
G ( r ) = c 1 + c 2 ln r for 2D. Equation C-15
The constant c2 can be found by integrating Equation C-10 over a small spherical
(in 3D) or cylindrical (in 2D) volume around R' . For a 3D case, from the LHS and
divergence theorem,
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Raphael Reference Manual Green’s Function
lim
ΔV' →0 ∫ ∇ • ( ∇ G ) dV' = lim ∂G
-------
a →0 ∂r r=a
4πa
2
Equation C-16
ΔV'
= – 4πc 2
and, from the RHS,
∫
δ( r ) 1
lim – ---------- dV' = – --- Equation C-17
ΔV' →0 ε ε
ΔV'
Thus,
1
c 2 = --------- Equation C-18
4πε
Merging c1 into a constant potential term, you can now write Equation C-12 as
( R ) = φ0 +
∫ G ( R, R' )ρ ( R' ) dV Equation C-19
V'
where, for a 3D homogeneous case,
1
G ( R, R' ) = --------------------------
- Equation C-20
4πε R – R'
Similarly, for a 2D homogeneous case,
1
G ( R, R' ) = – --------- ln R – R' Equation C-21
2πε
Equations C-20 and C-21 are also known as the free-space Green’s functions.
In the 3D case, since G(r) = 0 as r →∞ , you can choose the reference at infinity
and let φ0 = 0 . In the 2D case, however, a local reference is needed and φ0 is to
be determined.
Ground Planes
When there is a ground plane, φ0 = 0 , and the Green’s function is obtained from
the image theory. For example, Equation C-21 now becomes
1 R – R'
G ( R, R' ) = – --------- ln ------------------ Equation C-22
2πε R – R'+η
where R' + is the image of R' .
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Inhomogeneous Cases
If dielectric boundaries exist, you must also enforce the following conditions on
these boundaries:
1. The tangential E is continuous, a result of Equation C-5:
+ –
n̂ × ( E –E )= 0 Equation C-23
2. The normal D is continuous, a result of Equation C-6 with ρ = 0 :
+ –
n̂ • ( D –D ) = 0 Equation C-24
2D vs. 3D
Consider a unit line source that extends from (0,0, − l/2) to (0,0,l/2). For a field
point atR = ( d, 0, 0 ), you have
l⁄ 2
∫
1 1
φ( R ) = --------- --------------------- dz'
4πε 2 2
–l ⁄ 2 d + z'
1 ⎧ 2d 2 ⎫ Equation C-25
= – --------- ⎨ ln d – ln --- – ln ⎛ 1 + ⎛ ------⎞ + 1⎞ ⎬
l
2π ε ⎩ 2 ⎝ ⎝ l⎠ ⎠
⎭
1
≅ φ0 – --------- ln d
2πε
Thus, to apply a 2D solution to a system of parallel conductors, it is required that
2
⎛ 2d
------⎞ < < 1 Equation C-26
⎝ l⎠
Here, l is the length, and d is the maximum transverse distance between any two
points on the conductor surfaces.
Capacitance Matrix
If there are M + 1 conductors, in the 3D case,
M+1
Qi = ∑ C ijVj ; i = 1, …, M + 1 Equation C-27

j=1
with Vj being the potential difference between the jth conductor and the reference
at infinity; and, in the 2D case,
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Qi = ∑ Cij Vj ; i = 1, …, M Equation C-28

j=1
with Vj being the potential difference between the jth conductor and the reference
conductor (M + 1th). The following relationships exist:
Cij < 0 ; if i ≠ j Equation C-29
and
Cij = Cji Equation C-30
The capacitance matrix [Cij] in Equation C-28 is called the short-circuit capaci-
tance matrix.
Let
⎧1 if j = k
Vj = ⎨ Equation C-31
⎩0 if j ≠ k
then
Q i = Cik ; i = 1, …, M Equation C-32
Because
Qi =
∫ ρ ( R' ) dl
li
Equation C-33
where li is the surface area of the ith conductor, you must solve for ρ numerically
from Equation C-19 with the condition that φ is a constant on each conductor sur-
face.
Two-Terminal Capacitances
Equation C-28 can also be written as
M
Q i = C ′i0 V i + ∑ C ′ij ( Vi – Vj ) ; i = 1, …, M Equation C-34

j = 1
j≠i
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where
M
' =
C i0 ∑ Cij Equation C-35
j=1
and
C 'ij = – Cij ; i≠j Equation C-36
The capacitance matrix [ C' ij ] defined in Equation C-34 is referred to as the two-
terminal capacitance matrix.
Method of Moments
Write ρ as
N
ρ ( R' ) = ∑ ρ n Pn ( R' ) Equation C-37

n=1
where P n ( R' ) is called the expansion function. The most often used expansion
functions are pulse and triangular (or rooftop) functions.
The coefficients ρ n are solved by integrating both sides of Equation C-19 with a
testing (or, weighting) functionW m ( R' ), m = 1 to N. That is,
V ( R )W m ( R' ) dl =
∫ φ0 W m ( R' ) dl +
l l
Equation C-38
N
∑ ρn
=1
∫ Wm( R )
∫ G ( R, R' ) P n ( R' )dl
l l'
N + 1 linear equations must be solved.
When the testing function is an impulse function, Equation C-38 is called the col-
location (or point-matching) method. When the testing is the same as the expan-
sion function, it is called the Galerkin’s method.
Variational Method
A functional maps a function to a number. If there exists a function y = y(x) that
minimizes the functional Ψ, where
Ψ( y ) =
∫ f ( x, y, y' )d Equation C-39
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then y(x) satisfies the associated Euler-Lagrange equation:
∂f- – ----- ∂f-⎞

d- ⎛ ------
---- = 0 Equation C-40
∂y dx ⎝ dy'⎠
Thomson’s Theorem
Charges placed on a system of fixed conductors embedded in a dielectric distrib-
ute themselves on the surface of these conductors such that the energy of the
resultant electrostatic field is a minimum.
Boundary-Element Method
Consider the functional Ψ1, where
∫ ∫
1
(ρ ) = V ( R )ρ ( R ) dl – --- φ( R )ρ ( R ) Equation C-41
2
l l
You can verify that Ψ1 is stationary, and the Euler-Lagrange equation is reduced to
the integral equation
V ( R ) = φ0 +
∫ G ( R, R' )ρ ( R' )d Equation C-42
l'
Applying the Rayleigh-Ritz technique by letting
∂Ψ1
--------- = 0 , n = 1 to N Equation C-43
∂ρ n
and
∂Ψ1
--------- = 0 Equation C-44
∂φ0
you obtain the same set of linear equations as the Galerkin’s method.
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Finite-Element Method
Let
∫ 2
Ψ2 ( φ) = ∇ φ dS Equation C-45
S
then the Euler-Lagrange equation is reduced to the Laplace’s equation:
2
∇ φ= 0 Equation C-46
Note that
1 ψ
------------ ≤k 1 ------1 Equation C-47
C true 2
Q
and
ψ2
C true ≤k 2 -----2- Equation C-48
V
Minimizing Equations C-41 and C-45 therefore results in the lower and upper
bounds of estimated capacitances, respectively.
Finite-Difference Method
The Method of Moments (MOM), Boundary Element Method (BEM), and Finite
Element Method (FEM) are all derived from an integral expression, and they are
frequently referred to as the Integral Equation (IE) method.
The Finite Difference (FD) Method, on the other hand, deals with the Laplace’s
equation (i.e., the differential form) directly. The derivatives are evaluated numer-
ically by finite-difference equations.
Raphael’s RC2 and RC3 use the Finite Difference Method, and RC2-BEM and
RC3-BEM use the Boundary Element Method.
Relationship Between [L] and [C]

For 2D perfect conductors in a homogenous medium of (μ, ε ), you have
[ L ] [ C ] = με [ I ] Equation C-49
where [I] is an identity matrix.
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For 2D perfect conductors in an inhomogeneous medium of (μn,ε n), n = 1 to N,

you can obtain [L] through the following:
1. let ˜ε n = 1/μn, n = 1 to N
2. compute [C]
3. the desired [L] is then given by [L] = [C].
The above relationships can be easily seen by examining the linear equations in
solving for charge and current densities on the conductor surfaces. By perfect (or,
lossless) conductors, it has been implied that either charges or currents can exist
on the conductor surfaces only.
Resistance Calculation
To compute capacitances, start with
and D = ε E .
To compute resistances, use
∇ • J = – ∂ρ
------ Equation C-53
∂t
and J = σE .
Note that
[ G ][ V ] = [ I ] Equation C-54
Thus, if you run RC2 with ε replaced by σ, you get the conductance matrix [G]
between nodes on a planar resistive sheet.
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Analytic Formulae Raphael Reference Manual
Analytic Formulae
Exact solutions are available for some geometries:
1. Sphere of radius a:
C = 4πε a Equation C-55
2. Concentric sphere of inner radius a and outer radius b:
4πε
C = ------------------ Equation C-56
1--- – 1---
a b
3. Concentric sphere of inner radius a, outer radius b and ε(r) = ε 1 for a≤r ≤t and
ε(r) = ε 2 for t ≤r ≤b.
4π
C = -----------------------------------------------------
- Equation C-57
1 ⎛ 1 1⎞ 1 ⎛ 1 1⎞
----- --- – --- + ----- --- – ---
ε 1 ⎝ a t ⎠ ε 2 ⎝ t b⎠
4. Disk of radius a:
C = 8ε a Equation C-58
5. Coaxial cable of inner radius a and outer radius b:
2πε -
C = ------------- Equation C-59
ln ⎛⎝ ---⎞⎠
b
a
6. Coaxial cable of inner radius a, outer radius b and ε(r) = ε 1 for a ≤r ≤t and
ε(r) = ε 2 for t ≤r ≤b:
2π
C = ---------------------------------------------- Equation C-60
1- ⎛ --t-⎞ ----
+ - ln ⎛ ---⎞
1 b
---- ln
ε 1 ⎝ a⎠ ε 2 ⎝ t ⎠
7. Coaxial cable of inner radius a, outer radius b and ε(r) for a ≤r ≤b:
2π
C = ---------------------------- Equation C-61
b
∫
dr -
------------
ε ( r )r
8. Coaxial elliptic cylinder of inner semi-axes a1, b1 and outer semi-axes a2, b2:
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Raphael Reference Manual Analytic Formulae
2πε
C = ---------------------------- Equation C-62
a2 + b2
ln ⎛ -----------------⎞
⎝ a 1 + b 1⎠
9. Circular cylinder of radius a above a ground plane with h = center of cylinder

to ground plane:
2πε
C = ----------------------------------------
- Equation C-63
⎛h + h – a ⎞ 2 2
ln ⎜ ------------------------------⎟
⎝ a ⎠
10. Two circular cylinders, each of radius a, with 2h = center-to-center spacing:
πε
C = ----------------------------------------
- Equation C-64
⎛h + h – a ⎞ 2 2
ln ⎜ ------------------------------⎟
⎝ a ⎠
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Analytic Formulae Raphael Reference Manual
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APPENDIX D
Inductance Theory
D
Maxwell’s Equations
Faraday’s law:
∇ × E = – ∂-----
B- Equation D-1
∂t
Ampere’s law:
∂D
∇ × H = ------ +J Equation D-2
∂t
Gauss’ law:
∇•B = 0 Equation D-3
∇•D = ρ Equation D-4
In magnetostatics, use
∇× H = J Equation D-5
∇•B = 0 Equation D-6
Because
∇ • (∇ × A) ≡ 0 Equation D-7
let
B = ∇× A Equation D-8
where A is called the magnetic vector potential.
From B = μH , Equations D-5 and D-8, and the following vector identity
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Poisson’s Equation Raphael Reference Manual
2
∇ × ∇ × A = ∇ ( ∇ • A ) –∇ A Equation D-9
you have Poisson’s equation.
Poisson’s Equation
2
∇ A = – μJ Equation D-10
provided that
∇•A = 0 Equation D-11
From Equation D-8 and
∇ × ∇ ψ≡ 0 Equation D-12
you can properly choose ψ and add ∇ψ to A so that Equation D-11 is satisfied and
A is uniquely defined.
Again, A can be expressed as
R) =
∫ V′
G ( R, R′ )J ( R′ )dV Equation D-13
where, for a 3D homogeneous case,
μ
G ( R, R′ ) = -------------------------
- Equation D-14
4 π R – R′
and, for a 2D homogeneous case,
μ
G ( R, R′ ) = – ----- ln R – R ′ Equation D-15
2π
Magnetic Energy
The magnetic energy T can be expressed as
∫
1
T = --- H • B dV Equation D-16
2
V∞
where the integral extends over all space.
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Raphael Reference Manual Effective Inductance
Using
H • ∇ × A = A • ∇ × H + ∇ • (A × H Equation D-17
you have
∫ ∫
1 1
= --- A • ∇ × H dV + --- A × Hd Equation D-18
2 2
V∞ S∞
where the surface integral is evaluated at infinity. In a 3D case, the second integral
always vanishes. In a 2D case, the second integral vanishes if the constraint that
the sum of total currents is zero is imposed. Then, Equation D-18 is reduced to
∫
1
T = --- A • J dV
2
V∞
Equation D-19
N N
= 1---
2 ∑∑
i = 0j = 0
∫ Vi
A j • J i dV
Effective Inductance
Comparing Equation D-19 with
N N
1
T = ---
2 ∑ ∑ Lij Ii Ij Equation D-20
i = 0j = 0
you have
∫ Vi
A j • J i dV
L ij = -------------------------------- Equation D-21

Ii Ij
where Lij is called the partial inductance.
If you now choose 0 as the reference conductor, and let

N
I0 = – ∑ Ij Equation D-22
j=1
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Equation D-20 can then be written as

N N
1 e
T = ---
2 ∑ ∑ L ij Ii Ij Equation D-23
i = 1j = 1
with
e
L = L ij – L i0 – L j0 + L 00 Equation D-24
ij
e
Here, L is known as the effective (or, loop) inductance.
ij
Internal and External Inductances

The volume integral in Equation D-16 extends over all space. The self inductance
associated with the field energy inside/outside a conductor is called the internal/
external self inductance. Apparently, the external self inductance of a single 2D
conductor is infinity.
Current Filaments
Following Equation D-21, the mutual inductance L12 between two conductors (1
and 2) is given by
∫ A 2 • J 1 dV
L 12 = ------------------------------------ Equation D-25
I1 I2
where the integral is carried out over V1, the volume of conductor 1. I1 and I2 are
the currents in conductors 1 and 2, respectively; J 1 is the current density in con-
ductor 1; A 2 is the magnetic vector potential at conductor 1 due to the current at
conductor 2.
If the two conductors are straight, and the current is flowing uniformly along the
conductor length, Equation D-25 can then be written as
∫ ∫ L f J 1 J 2 cos θ dS 1 dS
= ---------------------------------------------------------------- Equation D-26
2
∫ J 1 dS 1
∫ J 2 dS 2
where θ is the angle between two conductors; S1 and S2 are the cross-sectional
areas of conductors 1 and 2, respectively; and at DC,
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Raphael Reference Manual Skin Effect
f 4π
μ
= -----
∫ ∫ 1--- dl d
r 1
Equation D-27
Here, l1 and l2 are the length of filament l and 2, respectively; and r is the distance
between two minute segments of the current filaments. Lf is also known as the
mutual inductance between two current filaments in the conductors.
At DC, if uniform current distribution in the conductor’s cross section is also

assumed, Equation D-26 is then reduced to
∫ ∫ L f dS 1 dS 2
= --------------------------------------------- cos Equation D-28
2 S1 S2
In effect, L12 can be interpreted as Lf averaged over two cross-sectional areas, S1

and S2.
Skin Effect
RI3 uses a volume-integral approach to model the skin effect where the conduc-
tor’s cross-section is subdivided into many segments and each segment is assumed
to have uniform current. After the resistance and partial inductance is computed
for each segment, an equivalent circuit of frequency-dependent resistance and
inductance is derived from the circuit theory.
Equivalent Circuits
If [IB] and [VB] are the branch current and voltage of each conductor segment,
then
Zp ⋅ IB = VB Equation D-29
where
Z p = R p + jω ⋅ Lp Equation D-30
and [Rp] is a diagonal resistance matrix and [Lp] is the partial inductance matrix.
Let [A] be the incidence matrix and [IN] be the nodal current vector, then
A ⋅ IB = IN Equation D-31
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and
T
A ⋅ VN = VB Equation D-32
Here, T denotes the transpose of matrix. Thus,
–1
–1 T⎫
A ⋅ Zp ⋅ A ⎬ ⋅ IN = VN Equation D-33
⎭
Let
–
Z xx Z xi ⎧ –1 T⎫
= ⎨ A ⋅ Zp ⋅ A ⎬ Equation D-34
Z xi Z ii ⎩ ⎭
where x denotes the external nodes and i denotes the internal nodes, then
I Nx I Nx
IN = = Equation D-35
I Ni 0
and
V Nx
VN = Equation D-36
V Ni
Thus,
Z xx ⋅ I Nx = V Nx Equation D-37
where [Zxx] corresponds to the first type of SPICE model in RI3. In this case, the
reference node is connected to all other nodes in a radial shape.
If you define a new incidence matrix [B] where
B ⋅ I Bx = I Nx Equation D-38
and
T
B ⋅ V Nx = V Bx Equation D-39
then
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Raphael Reference Manual Equivalent Circuits
T ⎫
B ⋅ Z xx ⋅ B ⎬⋅ I Bx = V Bx Equation D-40
⎭
Here, [B]T[Zxx][B] corresponds to the second type of SPICE model, which is

more desirable in general. In RI3, [B] is automatically derived to preserve the
topology.
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APPENDIX E
Taurus Topography
Interface
E
Note:
Taurus Topography is no longer sold by Synopsys.
Note:
The Raphael Taurus Topography interface is fully operational only with
Taurus Topography/Terrain v1.4 or later. In the 98.4 release, Terrain has
been renamed to Taurus Topography.
The interface between Raphael RC3 and Taurus Topography allows you to evalu-
ate how changes of fabrication processes or design rules affect the parasitic capac-
itance and resistance of 3D interconnects. This appendix explains the flow of the
Raphael RC3 to the Taurus Topography interface and presents an example that
demonstrates its use.
Taurus Topography, another Synopsys TCAD product, simulates topography

modification processes such as deposition and etching. One important feature of
Taurus Topography is its accurate characterization of the deposition of dielectrics
and conductors and the etching of different materials. With Taurus Topography
you can address complex 2D- and 3D local interconnect problems.
Refer to the Taurus Topography Reference Manual for more details and applica-
tions.
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Methodology Raphael Reference Manual
Methodology
The complete simulation flow from Taurus Topography to Raphael RC3 is shown
in Figure E-1 and explained in the following sections.
Taurus Layout
Capacitance Command
TL2 File
OR
Taurus Topography 3D
Resistance Command
TDF File
Raphael RC3 Input File
Figure E-1 Flow of Taurus Topography to Raphael interface
Taurus Layout
The starting point is a cell layout saved in the .tl2 file format. In principle, you
may use a layout with an arbitrary number of transistors. However, due to the
amount of detailed physical analysis, you may want to limit the layouts to circuits
of about 20 transistors. You can create layouts in the .tl2 file format by using the
IWB module in Taurus Layout. In the IWB module, each polygon defined in the
layout is given an unique name, which you may overwrite. The default name, if
none is specified, is derived from the polygon’s number. In the same module, you
can specify two additional layer properties for each material layer: Eps for defin-
ing relative dielectric constant, and Rho for defining resistivity in the units of
ohm-meter. The values of Eps and Rho can be negative. The following conven-
tions apply for the definitions of Eps and Rho.
• For capacitance computation, a layer is considered a conducting layer if its
Eps value is negative or zero, and as a dielectric layer if its Eps value is pos-
itive. The dielectric constant of a dielectric layer is assigned to it by its Eps
value.
• For resistance computation, a layer is considered an electrode layer if its Rho
value is negative or zero, and is considered a dielectric or conductor layer if its
Rho value is positive. A positive Rho value represents the resistivity of the
layer.
Note:
The IWB module is available only in Taurus Layout v1. 5 and higher.
For example, assume there are three different material layers: frog, bird, and fish.
Assume the values of Eps and Rho are 3.9 and 1e-6, respectively, for the frog
layer. Any polygon belonging to that layer is dielectric with a dielectric constant
of 3.9 and resistivity of 1e6. Similarly, if the values of Eps and Rho are -1 and 1e-
6, respectively, for the bird layer, any polygon belonging to that layer is a conduc-
tor with a resistivity value of 1e-6. Finally, if the values of Eps and Rho are -1
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Raphael Reference Manual Command-Line Syntax
and -1, respectively, for the fish layer, any polygon belonging to the layer is an
electrode. Refer to the Taurus Layout Tutorial for more details.
Note:
The polygon names are preserved during all further simulation used in
Taurus Topography and Raphael RC3. In contrast, the material proper-
ties may be overwritten in the input file for Raphael RC3. For more
details, refer to REGION on page E-5 and Step 3: Computing Capaci-
tance, Resistance with Raphael RC3 on page E-11.
Taurus Topography 3D
Taurus Topography is used to generate a 3D structure of the interconnects for the
selected layout. You may use the Taurus Topography GUI to specify the deposi-
tion and etch process flow. The simulated results of the structure are stored in a
Technology Data Format (TDF) file, which can be visualized with Taurus Visual.
The generated TDF file is used as input for Raphael.
Note:
You must use Taurus Topography v1.4 and higher versions to produce
the TDF file. TDF files produced by Taurus Topography (Terrain) v1.3
cannot be used as input for Raphael.
Raphael RC3
Raphael RC3 is used to perform capacitance and resistance analysis for 3D inter-
connects. The input for Raphael RC3 is a TDF file which stores the simulated
structure generated by Taurus Topography.
Command-Line Syntax
The command line syntax to invoke the Taurus Topography interface is:
raphael rc3 -v “-t [Tdf_file] <OPTIONS>” <input file>
where [Tdf_file] is the TDF file name generated by Taurus Topography. The
file <input file> may contain commands to overwrite material properties, to
establish electrical connectivity between different polygons in the layout, or to
specify the type of computation (resistance or capacitance). The results are written
to the output file named Tdf_file.out.
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Input File Format Raphael Reference Manual
Note:
Since a finite difference solver is the only available solver in the Taurus
Topography interface, the -b option is ignored if used for invoking the
BEM solver.
The following options are interpreted by the Raphael Taurus Topography Inter-
face:
Option Definition
-i Print the polygon names defined in the .tl2 file; no computation
is performed.
-l Raphael adopts the same uniform mesh as used in Taurus
Topography.
You may use the -i option to obtain a list of the polygon names defined in the .tl2
file used by Taurus Topography. This is useful if you need to overwrite the mate-
rial properties of some of the polygons.
Taurus Topography uses a uniform rectangular mesh throughout the entire domain
of interest, which often leads to a large number of grid points. If the -l option is
specified, Raphael uses the same mesh distribution as used in the
Taurus Topography simulation. Consequently, you may experience an unrealistic
requirement for a large amount of memory and long CPU time to complete com-
putation. Without -l, Raphael RC3 adopts an adaptive rectangular mesh based on
the complexity of the topography described in the TDF file. Use the adaptive mesh
since it is more computationally efficient.
Input File Format

The input file format for the Raphael RC3 to Taurus Topography interface is simi-
lar to the format for RC3. The <input file> consists of commands and com-
ments. Lines beginning with * or $ are comment lines and can be ignored. Seven
commands are available for use in the input file: REGION, MERGE, POTENTIAL,
CAPACITANCE, CURRENT, RESISTANCE, and OPTION. The REGION com-
mand lets you refer to a unique polygon defined in the .tl2 file and overwrite its
material properties. The MERGE command allows you to establish connectivity
between various polygons (i.e., regions). The commands POTENTIAL, CAPAC-
ITANCE, CURRENT, and RESISTANACE indicate the types of computation you
may specify. The OPTION command allows you to overwrite the default values of
the numerical parameters that drive the calculation process. Except for the
REGION and OPTION commands, the remaining commands are explained in
Chapter 4 of this reference manual.
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Raphael Reference Manual Input File Format
Note:
The CURRENT and RESISTANCE commands are incompatible with the
used in different structures: CURRENT is used to compute current distri-
butions within conductors, whereas POTENTIAL is used to compute
potential distribution outside the conductors.
Note:
The other commands available in RC3, BLOCK, POLY3D, CYLINDER,
SPHERE, COPY3D, and WINDOW3D, are illegal input file formats for the
RC3 to Taurus Topography interface.
REGION
The REGION statement is a new command introduced only in the Taurus Topog-
raphy interface. Each region corresponds to a unique polygon defined in the .tl2
file for Taurus Topography and inherits the name and material properties of the
polygon. This command allows you to overwrite the material properties defined in
the .tl2 file without needing to repeat the Taurus Topography computation.
REGION NAME=<NAME>;
{(VOLT=<VALUE>; [FLOAT=<VALUE>;]) or (DIEL=<VALUE>;
RHO=<VALUE>;

NAME character Name of the region.
VOLT numeric Potential of an electrode region.
units: volt
units: coulomb, ampere, or watt
DIEL numeric Relative dielectric constant of a dielectric region. (Used only for POTEN-
TIAL or CAPACITANCE calculations).
CHRG numeric Optional fixed charge density in a dielectric region.
units: coulomb/unit3 where unit is specified in the OPTIONS command
default value: 0
RHO numeric Resistivity of the material comprising the region. (used only for CURRENT
or RESISTANCE calculations).
units: ohm-meter
Note:
The <NAME> must match one of the polygon names defined in the .tl2
file used by Taurus Topography; otherwise, the command is ignored. For
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Input File Format Raphael Reference Manual
your convenience, you may use the -i option to print a list of the avail-
able polygon names.
For example, you may have a .tl2 file that contains two polygons, spring and sum-
mer, defined on the same layer. If the layer is defined to have a resistivity of 1e-6
ohm-meter according to the .tl2 file, the default material properties of the two
polygons have the same resistivity value. However, if the polygon spring is an
electrode, you can use the following command line
REGION NAME=spring; VOLT=0;
to assign the region spring as an electrode.
On the other hand, if the resistivity value of the polygon summer is 1e-5 instead of
1e-6, then you can use the following command:
REGION NAME=summer; RHO=1e-5;
to assign a resistivity value of 1e-5 ohm-meter to the region summer.
OPTIONS
This command sets the values of the options that drive the calculation process.
OPTIONS [MAX_ITER=<VALUE>;]
[ITER_TOL=<VALUE>;]

MAX_ITER numeric Maximum number of iterations for the ICCG method.
default value: 100 or 1% of the number of grid points,
whichever is greater
The default is dynamically set between 10-4 and 10-12,
depending on the values of VOLT, DIEL, and RHO.
In general, the default values should be acceptable for accuracy. However, you can
reset the values by defining the options. For instance,
OPTIONS max_iter = 100; iter_tol=1e-5;
sets the max number of iteration steps to 100 and the iteration tolerance to 1e-6.
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Raphael Reference Manual Example Using the Taurus Topography Interface
Example Using the Taurus Topography Interface

The following three-step example illustrates use of the Taurus Topography inter-
face and the usage of input files to overwrite material properties for some of the
polygons.
Step 1: Creating a Mask Layout with Taurus Layout

A sample layout is shown in Figure E-3- and E-4.
1. Specify a unique name for each polygon and specify the values of Eps and
Rho for each layer.
For this example,
two polygons, m4 and p4, are defined on the layer Met1;
one polygon, via2, is defined on the layer Via2;
two polygons, p1 and m1, are defined on the Met2 layer.
The values of Eps and Rho for each layer are specified as follows:
Layer Name Eps Rho
Diel3 3.9 1e6
Met2 -1 1e-6
Via2 -1 1e-6
Diel2 3.9 1e6
Met1 -1 1e-6
Diel1 3.9 1e6
The polygons defined on Met1, Via2, and Met2 are defaulted conductors during
capacitance computation and dielectrics during resistance computation.
2. Save the layout using the TL2 file format.
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Example Using the Taurus Topography Interface Raphael Reference Manual
The file, sample.tl2, Figure E-2, is the tl2 file created for this example.
TL2 0004
/ These will be user-generated comments.
/
%% ---------------- Taurus Layout ------------
%% Mask layout file for 2-dimensional data
%% ----------------------------------------
7
Diel3 1.0 1.0 3.9 1e+06
6 1 0 1 0
8 0 0
Met2 1.0 1.0 -1 1e-06
4 1 0 1 0
24 21 1
Via2 1.0 1.0 -1 1e-06
2 1 0 1 0
31 28 2
Diel2 1.0 1.0 3.9 1e+06
8 1 0 1 0
8 0 3
Met1 1.0 1.0 -1 1e-06
0 1 0 1 0
16 9 4
Diel1 1.0 1.0 3.9 1e+06
7 1 0 1 0
8 0 5
groundp 1.0 1.0 -1 1000
5 1 0 1 0
5 0 6
1.000000E+03
-1250 2350 -2500 700
0
5
0 4 0 m4
-250 -1450
-250 -1200
1300 -1200
1300 -1450
2 4 1 via2
-200 -1400
-200 -1250
50 -1250
50 -1400
4 4 2 m1
-266 -1448
-266 -500
97 -500
97 -1448
4 4 3 p1
-273 -500
-273 -240
97 -240
97 -500
0 4 4 p4
1300 -1450
1300 -1200
1550 -1200
1550 -1450
1
5
1 0 2 4 3
Figure E-2 The mask file in TL2 format, sample.tl2
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p1
m1
via2
m4 p4
Figure E-3 Top views of the mask saved in sample.tl2 (visualized by

Taurus Layout)
Figure E-4 Side view of the mask saved in sample.tl2 (visualized by

Taurus Layout)
Step 2: Creating an Input File for Taurus Topography

A Taurus Topography input file specifies all the details of a process flow, includ-
ing machine types and process parameters. Refer to the Taurus Topography Refer-
ence Manual for a detailed description of the Taurus Topography input file.
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An example of a Taurus Topography input file, tma.inp, is shown in Figure E-5.

The .tl2 file, sample.tl2, created in Step 1 is used as the mask file in the Taurus
Topography simulation.
You must pay particular attention to the layername parameter when using the
Taurus Topography/Raphael interface. Because it does not have a detailed descrip-
tion in the Taurus Topography Reference Manual, it is fully described here.
The parameter layername helps to define the related material properties for
every newly deposited layer. The most important material properties for parasitics
extraction are dielectric constants (of dielectrics) and resistivity (of conductors).
All of these properties are defined in a .tl2 file, where each different layer of
dielectrics or conductors has its unique layer name and its own material proper-
ties. In a Taurus Topography simulation, different layers of the same material that
are deposited at different times have the same material name. Specifying the
layername parameter assigns the corresponding material properties defined in
the .tl2 file to every newly deposited layer, and distinguishes the layers of the
same material type from each other.
If no layername is specified for a deposition process, default values of material

properties are used. As in specifying the names of mask layers, the layer name of
each deposition command should be the same as defined in the .tl2 file. The out-
put tdf file is sample.tdf as specified by the SAVE command in the input file. The
command to run Taurus Topography is:
topography 3d tma.inp.
Initialize mask.file=sample.tl2 material=Elec thick=0.2
+ delta.x=0.025 delta.y=0.025 delta.z=0.025
deposit material=silicon thickness=0.2 layername=groundp
deposit material=oxide thickness=0.2 layername=Diel1
deposit material=Ti thickness=0.3 layername=Met1

etch mask=Met1 material=Ti positive
mach.depo name=isodepo isotropi material=oxide rate=1.0

depo machine=isodepo material=oxide time=0.3 dt.max=0.1 layername=Diel2
etch mask=Via2 material=Oxide negative
depo material=Polysilicon thickness=0.1 layername=Via2

etch mask=Via2 material=Polysilicon positive
mach.depo name=isodepo isotropi material=Aluminum rate=0.3

depo machine=isodepo material=Aluminum time=1.0 dt.max=0.1 layername=Met2
etch mask=Met2 material=Aluminum positive
depo machine=isodepo material=oxide time=0.7 dt.max=0.1 layername=Diel3
save filename=sample.tdf
Stop
Figure E-5 Input file for Taurus Topography
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The simulated structure, sample.tdf is shown in Figure E-6
Figure E-6 Final structure after Taurus Topography simulation (visualized by

Taurus Visual)
Step 3: Computing Capacitance, Resistance with Raphael RC3

Since resistance computation is incompatible with capacitance computation, two
separate input files have been created for this example, one for capacitance com-
putation and the other for resistance computation.
For capacitance computation, this example assumes all of the polygons are elec-
tronically connected as a single net. The MERGE statement is specified to merge
those polygons together. The input file, cap.in, contains the following statement:
merge p4; p1; m1; m4; v2;
capacitance
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Figure E-7 shows part of the output using the following commands to execute
RC3:
raphael rc3 -v “-t sample.tdf” cap.in
For resistance computation, this example assumes the polygons p1and p4 are elec-
trodes, while the others remain as resistors. Therefore, the REGION command is
specified to overwrite the material properties of the two polygons. The input file,
resist.in, contains the following statement:
region name=p1; volt=0;
region name=p4; volt=0;
resistance
1 merge p4; p1; m1; m4; v2;
2 capacitance
3 options iter_tol=1e-6;
$ Polygon names defined in the .tl2 file.

$ m4
$ v2
$ m1
$ p1
$ p4
p4 groundp
p4 3.921056e-16 -3.921056e-16
groundp -3.921056e-16 3.921056e-16
regrid nx ny nz total iter lin_tol. rgd_tol

0 65 61 41 162565 102 8.168e-07 N.A.

0 65 61 41 162565 106 9.682e-07 N.A.
C_0_0 p4 OTHERS 3.921056e-16

C_1_1 groundp OTHERS 3.921056e-16
C_0_1 p4 groundp 3.921056e-16
Figure E-7 Capacitance values calculated by the RC3-Taurus Topography

interface
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Figure E-8 shows part of the output using the following commands to execute
RC3:
raphael rc3 -v “-t sample.tdf” resist.in
1 region name=p1; volt=0;

2 region name=p4; volt=0;
3 resistance
$ Polygon names defined in the .tl2 file.

$ m4
$ via2
$ m1
$ p1
$ p4
p1 p4
p1 3.313506e-02 -3.313506e-02
p4 -3.313506e-02 3.313506e-02

0 65 61 41 162565 255 7.555e-11 N.A.

0 65 61 41 162565 256 8.928e-11 N.A.
R_0_0 p1 OTHERS 3.017951e+01

R_1_1 p4 OTHERS 3.017951e+01
R_0_1 p1 p4 3.017951e+01
Figure E-8 Resistance values calculated by the RC3-Taurus Topography

interface
To demonstrate how topographic effects impact the capacitance and resistance

values, Table E-1 compares the results with those results obtained with respect to
the original mask structure. Part of the RC3 output files are shown in Figure E-9-
and E-10, respectively.
Table E-1 Comparative capacitance and resistance results
Idealized structure After topographic effect

Node
(default grid) (without -l option)
Capacitance (fF) P4 0.425 0.392

Resistance (ohm) p4 37.9 30.1
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1 $ RC3 RUN OUTPUT=/tmp/sample.cap.rc3

2 $
3 poly3d name=m4; +
4 coord=”1,1.05; 1,1.3; 2.55,1.3; 2.55,1.05;” +
5 v1=0,0,0.2; height=0.3; volt=0;
6 poly3d name=via2; +
7 coord=”1.05,1.1; 1.05,1.25; 1.3,1.25; 1.3,1.1;” +
8 v1=0,0,0.5; height=0.4; volt=0;
9 poly3d name=m1; +
10 coord=”0.984,1.052; 0.984,2; 1.347,2; 1.347,1.052;” +
11 v1=0,0,0.9; height=0.3; volt=0;
12 poly3d name=p1; +
13 coord=”0.977,2; 0.977,2.26; 1.347,2.26; 1.347,2;” +
14 v1=0,0,0.9; height=0.3; volt=0;
16 coord=”2.55,1.05; 2.55,1.3; 2.8,1.3; 2.8,1.05;” +
17 v1=0,0,0.2; height=0.3; volt=0;
18 poly3d name=groundp; +
19 coord=”0,0; 3.6,0; 3.6,3.2; 0,3.2;” +
20 v1=0,0,-1; height=1; volt=0;
21 window3d v1=0,0,-1; v2=3.6,3.1,1.9; diel=3.9;
22 merge p4; via2; m4; m1; p1;
23 capacitance
24
p4 groundp
p4 4.253618e-16 -4.253625e-16
groundp -4.253618e-16 4.253625e-16
C_0_0 p4 OTHERS 4.253618e-16

C_1_1 groundp OTHERS 4.253625e-16
C_0_1 p4 groundp 4.253621e-16
Figure E-9 Part of the RC3 output file and capacitance values with respect to
the original mask structure
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1 $ RC3 RUN OUTPUT=/tmp/sample.resist.rc3

2 $
3 poly3d name=m4; +
4 coord=”1,1.05; 1,1.3; 2.55,1.3; 2.55,1.05;” +
5 v1=0,0,0.2; height=0.3; rho=1e-6;
6 poly3d name=via2; +
7 coord=”1.05,1.1; 1.05,1.25; 1.3,1.25; 1.3,1.1;” +
8 v1=0,0,0.5; height=0.4; rho=1e-6;
9 poly3d name=m1; +
10 coord=”0.984,1.052; 0.984,2; 1.347,2; 1.347,1.052;” +
11 v1=0,0,0.9; height=0.3; rho=1e-6;
13 coord=”0.977,2; 0.977,2.26; 1.347,2.26; 1.347,2;” +
14 v1=0,0,0.9; height=0.3; volt=0;
16 coord=”2.55,1.05; 2.55,1.3; 2.8,1.3; 2.8,1.05;” +
17 v1=0,0,0.2; height=0.3; volt=0;
18 poly3d name=groundp; +
19 coord=”0,0; 3.6,0; 3.6,3.2; 0,3.2;” +
20 v1=0,0,-1; height=1; rho=1e3;
21 window3d v1=0,0,-1; v2=3.6,3.1,1.9; rho=1e6;
22 resistance
23
p1 p4
p1 2.638028e-02 -2.638028e-02
p4 -2.638028e-02 2.638028e-02
R_0_0 p1 OTHERS 3.790710e+01

R_1_1 p4 OTHERS 3.790710e+01
R_0_1 p1 p4 3.790710e+01
Figure E-10 Part of the RC3 output file and resistance values with respect to
the original mask structure
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APPENDIX F
Capacitance Post-
Processing
F
Introduction
Cpost is a utility program for the manipulation of Raphael and Raphael-NES out-
put data. Cpost accepts SPICE capacitance matrix data and calculates the simpli-
fied equivalent capacitance matrix with selected nets either electrically grounded
or floating. In addition, per-unit-length capacitance matrices may be inverted to
yield the inductance matrices. Calculation results are saved in standard SPICE for-
mat.
Cpost supports batch mode processing as well as interactive. Full logging of all
commands and data is provided.
For easy manipulation of systems with large numbers of nets, a default capability
is included wherein all nets may be set to float or ground and only those of interest
retained in the final output.
Cpost is invoked as follows:

cpost [options] [spicefilename]
or
cpost [options] [commandfilename]
or
cpost [options] [commandfilename] [spicefilename]
Cpost accepts two types of input files: SPICE data and cpost commands that
direct the reduction of that data. An output file is opened with the name <spice-
filename>.spice or <commandfilename>.spice, depending on which type of file is
specified on invocation. In the event both are specified, the output file name
derives from the command file name, i.e. <commandfilename>.spice. The default
output file may be overridden if desired.
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If no file names are specified, the program starts in interactive mode. You may
manually enter the name of the file to be processed.
The following command options are interpreted by Cpost:
-noquery Suppresses user queries and use defaults when necessary. Used
only in batch mode.
-case Turns off case sensitivity. All netnames converted to uppercase.
Note: Commands are always case-insensitive.
-O #.# Lowers cutoff for output of SPICE components. Default value is
1.0e-18. This is relative to the chosen engineering scale in which
the rest of the components are printed. If capacitance values are
output in μf, then capacitances smaller than 1.0e-18 μf are not
printed.
-p* Changes interactive mode prompt character to *.
-spiceoff Turns *off* SPICE file outputting of all results
-toobig # Suppresses screen output of matrix if more than # nets in use.
-verbose Uses long messages.
-z Suppresses listing of input file in SPICE output
Cpost SPICE Input Files

The SPICE data file format accepted by Cpost conforms to conventional SPICE
specifications with the limitation that only capacitance components are read in.
Cpost supports the usual physical unit specifiers for capacitive components.
Additional enhancements have been included to facilitate easy usage with

Raphael. The netnames GROUND_RC2 and GROUND_RC3 are reserved words
and are equivalent to the use of zero as a designation for ground. Finally, Cpost
treats both ‘;’ and ‘*’ as comment characters. Thus, anything on a given line after
a ‘;’ or ‘*’ character is treated as a comment and ignored.
Cpost Command Input Files

Cpost command files consist of comments and/or commands. Again, anything on
a given line after a ‘;’ or ‘*’ character is treated as a comment and ignored. Com-
mand input is in free format, and all command keywords are case insensitive.
Component and net names are case sensitive, however, unless this option is over-
ridden with the -case switch. If this option is used, all such names are mapped
into their uppercase equivalents in the output file. Statements may be given in any
order, with the exception of END or QUIT, which serve as terminators for batches
of statements to treat as a single job. A command file may contain multiple jobs,
each delimited by END statements. A job is then examined by the program and all
reduction commands processed in the following order: INPUT (if any), OUTPUT,
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Raphael Reference Manual Cpost Command Input Files
DEFAULT TO GROUND, DEFAULT TO FLOAT, GROUND, FLOAT, and SIGNAL.

These commands are capable of directing capacitance matrix reduction. All reduc-
tions are completed and the results output before matrix inversions are done.
Inversion is performed executing inductance-specific commands in the following
order: UNIT, INDUCTANCE. Note that the UNIT command has no effect on any
capacitance matrix reduction command.
The specifics of syntax and usage for each command are described in the next sec-
tions.
INPUT
Specifies the SPICE data file to open. All subsequent reduction commands apply
to the contents of this file.
INPUT <filename>
Note:
This command is optional in the sense that Cpost may be invoked with
the SPICE file name given on the invocation line.
A SPICE output file with the name: <filename>.spice opens to receive all results
unless the -spiceoff option is given.
OUTPUT
Specifies the file name to be opened to receive output. This overrides any defaults.
OUTPUT <filename>
This command operates for Batch Mode only.
Note:
The OUTPUT command is optional. If not specified, the default output
file name is the input file name with the suffix “.spice”.
FLOAT
Specifies which nets to consider as electrically floating which is equivalent to
requiring that the total charge on each conductor be zero.
FLOAT <net1> <net2>...
Net names are by default case-sensitive unless overridden with the -case
option. If overridden, all names are translated to all uppercase.
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GROUND
Specifies which nets to fix at ground potential.
GROUND <net1> <net2>...
Net names are by default case-sensitive unless overridden with the -case option.
If overridden, all names are translated to all uppercase.
DEFAULT GROUND
Specifies all nets not explicitly overridden by the SIGNAL command to be
grounded.
DEFAULT [TO] GROUND
Only those nets specified in SIGNAL command(s) are retained in the reduced out-
put file.
DEFAULT FLOAT
Specifies all nets not explicitly overridden by the SIGNAL command to be
floated.
DEFAULT [TO] FLOAT
Only those nets specified in SIGNAL command(s) are retained in reduced output
file.
SIGNAL
Permits the overriding of a previous status choice for a given net or nets.
SIGNAL <net1> <net2>...
Specifies which nets to be retained in the output file. Nets retained correspond to
electrodes available from outside of the circuit network. For a given net, this over-
rides the effect of any previous GROUND, FLOAT, or DEFAULT statement.
INDUCTANCE
Requests that the reduced capacitance matrix be inverted to obtain the inductance
matrix.
INDUCTANCE
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Raphael Reference Manual Cpost Command Input Files
The inductance matrix is computed by the following equation:
L • C = μ0 ε 0
where μ0 and ε 0 are respectively, the permeability and permittivity of free space
and L and C are the inductance and capacitance matrices. Thus, for this calcula-
tion to be valid, the capacitance data must be in per-unit-length values, derived
from parallel conductors in free space.
Note:
If the INDUCTANCE command is applied to data with no units or units
of farads, the program pauses and gives you the choice of aborting the
calculation or setting the units to farads per micron. This pause may be
overridden by the -noquery option, as described above. If the
-noquery option is given, the default is to set units to farads per
micron. This is useful for batch mode operation on groups of files of
varying units. You may also explicitly set the units of input data using the
UNIT command.
UNIT
Specifies the units of the input capacitance matrix and/or output inductance
matrix. This command only affects the results of INDUCTANCE calculations.
Capacitance calculations are unchanged by the UNIT command.
UNIT [capacitanceScale/[#] lengthScale] [,] [inductanceScale/[#]

lengthScale]
The followings can be used for capacitanceScale, inductanceScale, and length-

Scale, respectively: f, mf, uf, nf, pf, ff, and af; h, mh, uh, nh, ph, fh, and ah; m,
mm, um, nm, pm, fm, and am.
Example:
UNIT f/um
or
UNIT f/1.0e-6 m
indicates that the input capacitance matrix is in farads per micron.
Example:
UNIT f/um, ph/um
indicates that the input capacitance matrix is in farads per micron and the output
inductance matrix is in picohenries per micron.
If the capacitance data were obtained using RC3 or Raphael-NES then the length
of the structure must be specified so that the data can be converted to per-unit-
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length values. For instance, if a 3D simulation is performed on a structure of uni-

form cross-section one inch long, the corresponding UNIT command is:
UNIT f/2.54e-2 m, h/um
This form provides Cpost with correct dimensions for the input capacitance data
and additionally requests the inductance data be printed in units of henries per
micron.
Note:
For this calculation to be valid, the 3D structure simulated must have
uniform cross-section along at least one dimension.
END
Denotes the end of a group of commands to be considered as one job.
END
In batch mode, END allows a single command file to process multiple input files
or to process a single input file multiple ways. In interactive mode, END requests
that processing be done and the results output.
QUIT
Requests the program to terminate. Used in interactive mode only.
QUIT
Any outstanding processing is done and the matrix output before the program
exits.
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Examples
For a series of examples of program operation, consider the simple capacitor net-
work shown in Figure F-1.
Example 1: Batch Mode

The first example demonstrates batch mode where one command file directs the
reduction of a SPICE file in several ways.
net1 4 fF net2
1 fF 2 fF
Figure F-1 Circuit model for example SPICE file cpost1.spice
Figure F-2 lists the command file and Figure F-3 lists the resulting output.
input cpost1.spice
ground net1
end
float net2
end
Figure F-2 Cpost command file mcsi.cmd
The first command specifies the SPICE file to open and subsequent commands
direct reductions. Use of the END statements to group the reduction commands
into separate jobs.
The resulting simplified capacitance matrices, with net1 grounded as in the first
case and net2 floated, result in capacitances of 6 and 2.333 femtofarads. These
are in accordance with expectations from basic circuit theory.
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;./cpost mcsi.cmd
;*** Original SPICE File

;Ca0 net1 0 1e-15f
;Cab net2 0 2e-15f
;Cb0 net1 net2 4e-15f
;*** Command list
;INPUT cpost1.spice
;GROUND net1
;END
;==> SPICE Models for Reduced Capacitance Matrix [Farads]
C_1_0 net2 0 6e-15
;./cpost mcsi.cmd

;Ca0 net1 0 1e-15f
;Cab net2 0 2e-15f
;*** Command list
;FLOAT net2
;END
C_1_0 net1 0 2.33333e-15
Figure F-3 Partial output listing from command file mcsi.cmd
Example 2: Multiple Input Files

In the second example, a single command file directs reductions for separate input
files cpost1.spice and cpost2.spice. The second circuit model for cpost2.spice is
shown in Figure F-4.
net1 17 fF net2
2 fF 8 fF
Figure F-4 Circuit model for example SPICE file cpost2.spice
The command file mcmi.cmd as listed in Figure F-5 results in the partial output
listing of Figure F-7.
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input cpost1.spice
ground net1
end
input cpost2.spice
float net2
end
Figure F-5 Cpost command file mcmi.cmd
The resulting simplified capacitance matrices, with net1 of file cpost1.spice

grounded in the first case and net2 of file cpost2.spice floated in the second, result
in capacitances of 6 and 7.44 femtofarads. These results are as expected from
basic circuit theory.
Example 3: Interactive Mode and Inductance

This example illustrates both the interactive mode and use of the INDUCTANCE
command. The capacitance data are derived from an RC2 simulation using the
same structure as in example raexc22 with the dielectric elements removed. An
edited version of the RC2 output appears in Figure F-6. To conform to SPICE for-
mat specifications, the comment character ‘;’ must be inserted in front of all lines
not describing capacitance values.
Cpost is invoked in this case by giving only the SPICE file name. That is,
cpost cpost3.spice
After the program title and other licensing information, it shows:

*** ORIGINAL MATRIX [* 10^-18]
m1 m2 m3
m1 79.7165 -38.7261 -1.56784
m2 -38.7261 108.209 -28.7765
m3 -1.56784 -28.7765 62.6138
Interactive mode.
Enter commands:
Use END command to process
QUIT to exit.
cpost>
The inversion of the capacitance matrix is then carried out by the commands:
cpost> UNIT f/um, h/um
cpost> INDUCTANCE
cpost> end
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It gives rise to:

*** REDUCED MATRIX [* 10^-18]
m1 m2 m3
m1 79.7165 -38.7261 -1.56784
m2 -38.7261 108.209 -28.7765
m3 -1.56784 -28.7765 62.6138
==> SPICE Models for Reduced Matrix [Dimensionless Units]
C_1_0 m1 0 3.94225e-17
C_1_2 m1 m2 3.87261e-17
C_1_3 m1 m3 1.56784e-18
C_2_0 m2 0 4.07062e-17
C_2_3 m2 m3 2.87765e-17
C_3_0 m3 0 3.22694e-17
Calculating inductance matrix...

*** REDUCED MATRIX [ H / uM]
m1 m2 m3
m1 1.75788e-13 7.30048e-14 3.79538e-14
m2 7.30048e-14 1.4746e-13 6.9599e-14
m3 3.79538e-14 6.9599e-14 2.10638e-13
==> SPICE Models for Reduced Inductance Matrix [Henries Per uM]
L_1 m1 m1_y 1.75788e-13

K_1_2 L_1 L_2 0.45344
K_1_3 L_1 L_3 0.197239
L_2 m2 m2_y 1.4746e-13
K_2_3 L_2 L_3 0.394909
L_3 m3 m3_y 2.10638e-13
The above agrees with the results from RC2 (see Figure 2-11, p. 26).
; ==> SPICE Models for Entire Capacitance Matrix [Farad / (1e-06*m)]
C_1_2 m1 m2 3.872614e-17
C_1_3 m1 m3 1.567842e-18
C_1_0 m1 GROUND_RC2 3.942252e-17
C_2_3 m2 m3 2.877654e-17
C_2_0 m2 GROUND_RC2 4.070618e-17
C_3_0 m3 GROUND_RC2 3.226940e-17
;
; *** INDUCTANCE CALCULATION [Henry / (1e-06*m)]
; m1 m2 m3
; m1 1.757885e-13 7.300512e-14 3.795376e-14
; m2 7.300499e-14 1.474608e-13 6.959907e-14
; m3 3.795418e-14 6.959942e-14 2.106384e-13
;
; ==> SPICE Models for Inductance Matrix [Henry / (1e-06*m)]
; L_1 m1 m1_y 1.757885e-13

; K_1_2 L_1 L_2 4.534396e-01
; K_1_3 L_1 L_3 1.972392e-01
; L_2 m2 m2_y 1.474608e-13
; K_2_3 L_2 L_3 3.949094e-01
; L_3 m3 m3_y 2.106384e-13
Figure F-6 File cpost3.spice: RC2 free-space capacitance simulation data
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;./cpost mcmi.cmd

;Ca0 net1 0 1e-15f
;Cab net2 0 2e-15f
;*** Command list
;INPUT cpost1.spice
;GROUND net1
;END
C_1_0 net2 0 6e-15
;./cpost mcmi.cmd

;Ca0 net1 0 2e-15f
;Cab net2 0 8e-15f
;Cb0 net1 net2 1.7e-14f
;*** Command list
;INPUT cpost2.spice
;FLOAT net2
;END
C_1_0 net1 0 7.44e-15
Figure F-7 Partial output listing from command file mcmi.cmd
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APPENDIX G
Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs)
G
RC2 and RC3

1. What boundary conditions are assumed on the window bound-
aries?
It is assumed that the normal component of the E-field at the window bound-
aries is zero (i.e., ∂V/∂n=0). It is called the Neumann, or reflective boundary
condition. The term magnetic ground plane or even mode is also used. Both
the structures and potential distribution can be considered as if they were peri-
odic.
2. How do I compare RC2 and RC3 results with those using the
boundary-element method?
A program based on the boundary element method typically assumes an open
space and does not require window boundaries. The RC2 and RC3 results are
similar to those of a boundary element based program, if the window size is
large enough to make the actual E-field at the window boundaries negligible.
In general, the open-space condition can be approximated by assigning the
window boundaries at 5 times the maximum distance between any two con-
ductor surfaces away from the structures themselves. R.E. Collin, in his text-
book, Field Theory of Guided Waves (p. 282), shows that for an object located
between two ground planes of separation d, the field intensity decays to 1% of
its original value at a distance 1.5d away.
Both RC2 and RC3 use a local conductor as reference. While a 2D boundary-
element program assumes the same local reference, a 3D boundary-element
program typically uses the reference at infinity. It is necessary to convert the
3D results from a boundary-element program to use a local reference when
comparison with RC3 is to be made. The conversion is simple because the
infinity node can be treated as if it is a floating node, and RC3-BEM has this
conversion built-in.
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RI3 Raphael Reference Manual
3. Should I always use a large window?

It depends on the application. If an isolated structure (in open space) is to be
simulated, then a large window is needed. In simulating the chip wiring, how-
ever, the open-space assumption may be invalid, because of the surrounding
structures.
4. How many grid points should I use?
Beginning in Raphael v3.3, the default number of grid points is dynamically
adjusted so that a larger number is automatically assigned to a more compli-
cated structure. This default number guarantees that the simulation runs suc-
cessfully (if not limited by the hardware storage) with reasonable accuracy.
You can experiment with more or fewer grid points for better accuracy or effi-
ciency.
5. Why is the C-matrix asymmetric?
The regridding and the iterative matrix solver that causes RC2 and RC3 to
give asymmetric matrices. Most programs average the off-diagonal terms, so
they appear to have a symmetric C-matrix. Keeping the original numbers in
RC2 and RC3 provides some indication of how large the numerical errors
might be. In case of severe asymmetry, you can set max_regrid=0 and/or
reduce iter_tol.
RI3
6. Why does RI3 not require the specification of a window?
RI3 is not a finite-difference program. It is based on a volume-integral
approach to compute inductances. Starting in Raphael v3.3, a current-sheet
formulation is used for parallel conductors. For nonparallel conductors, a cur-
rent-filament formulation is used.
RPD
7. How can I change:
a. The window boundaries?
b. The number of grid points?
c. The conductor’s cross-sections for the RC2 and RC3 simulations?
Beginning in Raphael v3.3, you can change the option settings or redefine the
geometry by customizing the simulation template files.
For additional details see the Raphael Tutorial.
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GLOSSARY
Glossary
This glossary contains terms frequently used in the Raphael Reference Manual. A list of
acronyms is included as the last section in the Glossary. For references to more informa-
tion about a term, see the Index.
A
anisotropic dielectric A dielectric material with unequal dielectric constants in the x, y, or z directions.
B
Boundary Element Numerical technique for solving electromagnetic problems based on integral equations. It
Method (BEM) can be more efficient than the finite different method (see FD) for isolated structures with
large open regions.
C
capacitance matrix Matrix of capacitance values representing the couplings between individual members of a
set of electrodes and ground.
capacitance table Table containing various capacitance values with respect to design parameters (width and
spacing).
Cpost Post-processing utility program in the Raphael package to allow manipulation of capaci-
tance matrix data.
F
field simulation The use of numerical techniques to solve electromagnetic problems for quantities such as
electric fields, voltages, current densities, etc.
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field solver templates Template file for the input file of a field solver containing geometry information of generic
structures.
Finite-Difference (FD) Numerical technique for solving electromagnetic problems based on the finite difference
method approximation to differential equations.
floating conductor A conductor upon which the total amount of electrical charge is fixed, typically at zero.
fringing fields Fields generated by discontinuities in interconnects.
G
GDS II Popular binary file format for integrated circuit layouts.
generic structures Predefined structures used to generate capacitance models.
GUI Graphical User Interface. A visual interface for controlling a computer program typically
using a mouse or other pointing device.
I
interconnect library Library containing parasitics data for common interconnect parasitic structures such as
bends, vias, and crossovers.
L
Layout Parameter CAD tool to extract circuit netlist (circuit simulator input file) from layouts. These employ
Extractor empirical rule-based methods for estimating electrical characteristics.
lateral coupling Capacitance between two lateral metals that do not overlap vertically.
capacitance
N
nonplanar technology Process technology that results in nonplanar structures.
O
overlap capacitance Capacitance between two vertically overlapping metals, Overlap capacitance is the sum of
the area and perimeter capacitances. (See perimeter capacitance)
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Raphael Reference Manual Glossary
P
parasitics Unintentional electrical effects in circuits due to such things as interconnect capacitances,
dielectric charge leakage, etc. These are typically modeled by adding nondevice compo-
nents to SPICE models.
perimeter capacitance Fringing field component of overlap capacitance. (See overlap capacitance)
Poisson’s equation Partial differential equation stating the relationship between voltage and charge distribu-
tion.
R
Raphael Synopsys tool for electrical and thermal analysis of two- or 3D structures such as on-chip
interconnects, packages, circuit boards, etc.
Raphael-NES Raphael Net Extraction System. High-speed tool from Synopsys for calculation of on-chip
interconnect capacitances.
RC2 2D field solver to compute interconnect resistance and capacitance.
RC3 3D field solver to compute interconnect resistance and capacitance.
RI3 3D tool to compute interconnect resistance and inductance with skin effect.
RIL Raphael Interconnect Library. A database program that generates and stores electrical
model parameters for interconnect elements.
S
Sakurai’s model Empirical capacitance model developed by T. Sakurai and K. Tamaru.
SPICE Popular format for representing electrical circuit models.
T
TCAD Technology Computer-Aided Design. Generally refers to physics-based simulation soft-
ware that solves partial differential equations to model semiconductor processing, device
characteristics, and interconnects.
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Acronyms
BEM Boundary Element Method
FD Finite-Difference (Method)
LPE Layout Parameter Extractor
RIL Raphael Interconnect Library
SPICE Semiconductor Parameter Integrated Circuit Extraction
TCAD Technology Computer-Aided Design
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INDEX
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
Index
A C
ADD 7-5 CAPACITANCE 4-19
add, RIL command 7-5, 8-12 CAPACITANCE
analytic formulae C-10 RC2 input file statement 2-14
aniso.rc2 example file 2-37 RC3 input file statement 4-19
aniso.rc3 example file 4-38, 4-39 capacitance and potential analysis of a crossover
anisotropic dielectric materials, RC2 example 2-36 structure, RC3 4-29
anisotropic dielectric materials, RC3 example 4-37 capacitance matrix C-4
APIS Program Commands 8-18 capacitance postprocessing, Cpost F-1
array above substrate below dense array Fig. A-21 capacitance values calculated by RC3-Taurus-
Topography interface Fig. E-12
ASSIGN 8-20
capacitance, RC3 example 4-29
automatic node assignment by RIL Fig. 7-11
capacitances for level array between 2 ground planes
Fig. 7-24
CHECK 7-5
B check, RIL command 7-5
batch mode, Cpost example F-7 circ1
BEM solvers, boundary conditions B-1 RC2 input file statement 2-6
BLOCK 4-5 type geometric element Fig. 2-8
block circ2
RC3 input file statement 4-5 RC2 input file statement 2-8
type geometric element (direction and perp type geometric element Fig. 2-9
are arbitrarily oriented) Fig. 4-7 circuit models
BOOLEAN 8-21 after floating the poly Fig. 4-37
boundary conditions before floating the poly Fig. 4-37
BEM solvers B-1 example SPICE file cpost1.spice Fig. F-7
Dirichlet B-3 example SPICE file cpost2.spice Fig. F-8
Neumann B-2 circular ring, RI3 example 6-23
open-space B-1, E-2 command conventions 1-6
two magnetic planes facing B-3 command editor 1-7
Boundary-Element Method (BEM) 3-1, C-7 command line syntax E-3
box commands
RC2 input file statement 2-5 RC2 2-1
type geometric element Fig. 2-6 RC2 options 2-2
RC2-BEM 3-3
RC2-BEM options 3-3, E-4
RA 2006.03 Index-1
Index Raphael Reference Manual
RC3 4-1 options F-2
RC3 options 4-2 SPICE input files F-2
RC3-BEM 5-2 Cpost examples
RC3-BEM options 5-2 interactive mode and inductance F-9
RI3 6-4 multiple input files F-8
RI3 options 6-4 Cpost input file statement
RIL 7-3, 8-3 DEFAULT FLOAT F-4
comparisons DEFAULT GROUND F-4
RC2 and RC2-BEM for equidistant three-microstrip END F-6
line structure Fig. 3-8 FLOAT F-3
RC2 and RC2-BEM for Figure 3-6 Fig. 3-12 GROUND F-4
RC2 and RC2-BEM for the resistance computation INDUCTANCE F-4
Fig. 3-14 INPUT F-3
RC2-BEM and RC2 3-5 OUTPUT F-3
RC3-BEM and RC3 5-4 QUIT F-6
conductors SIGNAL F-4
next to electric plane and corresponding equivalent UNIT F-5
structure Fig. B-3 CPU time vs. grid size for single plate structure in Figure
next to magnetic plane and corresponding 5-1 Fig. 5-7
equivalent structure Fig. B-2 crossover capacitance, RC3-BEM 5-8
CONFORMAL 8-26
crossover of two traces above ground plane Fig. A-14
Conformal Dielectric 8-11
CURRENT
conformal dielectric layer RC2 input file statement 2-15
metal layer on top of parallel lines Fig. A-27 RC3 input file statement 4-19
metal layer on top of parallel lines with sidewall current density
spacers Fig. A-30
3D via structure for Example raexc31 Fig. 4-28
on top of parallel lines Fig. A-25
and resistance, RC3 example 4-25
on top of parallel lines with sidewall spacers Fig. A-
RC2 example 2-29
29
current filaments D-4, D-5
CONNECTING 8-33
CYLINDER 4-9
conventions
cylinder
command 1-6
geometric element Fig. 4-10
naming for examples 1-7
RIL 7-10 RC3 input file statement 4-9
typographical 1-xi
convergence of capacitance value versus grid size for
single plate structure in Figure 5-1 Fig. 5-7 D
COPY, RC2 input file statement 2-11
data flow
COPY3D 4-15 RI3 6-4
COPY3D, RC3 input file statement 4-15 RI3 Fig. 6-4
corresponding schematic for the capacitance simulation DEFAULT FLOAT, Cpost input file statement F-4
Fig. 2-14
DEFAULT GROUND, Cpost input file statement F-4
Cpost device structures
batch mode F-7
Example raexc23, with left and right dark gray areas
command file mcmi.cmd Fig. F-9 representing electrical contacts Fig. 2-31
command file mcsi.cmd Fig. F-7 Example raexi33 Fig. 6-25
command input files F-2 Example raexi34 which simulates four bond leads
examples F-7 Fig. 6-30
input files F-1 DIELECTRIC 8-24
invoking F-1 Dielectric Stack 8-10
Index-2 RA 2006.03
Raphael Reference Manual Index
Dirichlet boundary condition (electric ground plane) B-3 conformal dielectric layer on top of parallel lines
discretization of cross-section of multi_bar Fig. 6-12 Fig. A-25
discretization of plane and suffixes defined by RI3 Fig. conformal dielectric layer on top of parallel lines
6-8 with sidewall spacers Fig. A-29
DPLOT crossover of two traces above ground plane Fig. A-
14
examples, introduction to plots 4-24
equal width/spacing traces between two ground
file dpraexc32 for Example raexc32 Fig. 4-33
planes Fig. A-20
graphical output generated by Line 15 of file
equal width/spacing traces with one ground plane
dpraexc32 Fig. 4-34
Fig. A-19
input file dpraexc22 for Example raexc22 Fig. 2-27
equal width/spacing traces without ground plane
Fig. A-18
level 1 array under parallel level 2 array above
input file dpraexi33 for Example raexi33 Fig. 6-24 substrate Fig. A-32
input file dpraexi34 for Example raexi34 Fig. 6-30 level 2 array under parallel level 1 array above
output showing potential contours for Example substrate Fig. A-33
raexc22 Fig. 2-28 overlap conductor above metal trace and ground
output showing structure and grid for Example plane Fig. A-31
raexc22 Fig. 2-28 pad above plane Fig. A-13
visualization tool 1-5 RI3 6-16
dpraexc22 example file 2-27 three level crossover above ground plane Fig. A-16
dpraexc23 example file 2-30 three parallel bonding wires Fig. A-17
dpraexc31 example file 4-26, 4-27 trace bend above plane Fig. A-7, A-8
dpraexc32 example file 4-30 to ?? trace narrowing above plane Fig. A-11
dpraexi33 example file 6-24 trace narrowing between 2 planes Fig. A-12
dpraexi34 example file 6-30 trace widening between 2 planes Fig. A-9, A-10
two conformal dielectric layers and metal layer on
top of parallel lines Fig. A-28
E two conformal dielectric layers on top of parallel
lines Fig. A-26
editor, command 1-7 two level crossover above ground plane Fig. A-15
effective inductance D-3 unequal width/spacing traces between two ground
electric ground plane (Dirichlet boundary condition) B-3 planes Fig. A-24
electrostatic analysis 2-3 unequal width/spacing traces with one ground plane
Fig. A-23
electrostatic and resistance analyses, incompatibility 2-3
unequal width/spacing traces without ground plane
END, Cpost input file statement F-6 Fig. A-22
environment variables, RIL 7-9 equivalent circuit for 2 Pins/Vias
equal width/spacing traces pads above plane with antipads Fig. A-6
between two ground planes Fig. A-20 pads above solid plane Fig. A-5
one ground plane Fig. A-19 pads in antipad holes of plane Fig. A-4
without ground plane Fig. A-18 equivalent representation of conductor between two
equations magnetic planes Fig. B-4
Maxwell’s C-1, D-1 example files
Poisson’s C-2, D-2 aniso.rc2 2-37
equivalent circuit aniso.rc3 4-38, 4-39
array above substrate below dense array Fig. A-21 dpraexc22 2-27
conformal dielectric layer and metal layer on top of dpraexc23 2-30
parallel lines Fig. A-27 dpraexc31 4-26, 4-27
conformal dielectric layer and metal layer on top of dpraexc32 4-30 to ??
parallel lines with sidewall spacers Fig. A- dpraexi33 6-24
30
RA 2006.03 Index-3
dpraexi34 6-30 Fig. 4-35
raexc21 2-23 RC3 example 4-35
raexc22 2-26 to 2-28 flow of Taurus-Topography to Raphael interface Fig.
raexc22.pot 2-27 E-2
raexc23 2-30, 2-31 FREQUENCY, RI3 input file statement 6-15
raexc24 2-33, 2-34
raexc25 2-35
raexc26 3-7 G
raexc27 3-11
raexc28 3-14 GDS II interface 1-5
raexc31 4-25 to 4-28 GDS II stream format interface 1-3
raexc31.pot 4-26 GENERATE 7-5
raexc32 4-30 to ?? generate, RIL command 7-5
raexc32.pot 4-30 graphical output showing current density distribution for
raexc33 4-36 Example raexc23 Fig. 2-31
raexc34 5-6 graphical representation of the spice subcircuit created
raexc35 5-9 by Example raexc24 Fig. 2-34
raexc36 5-11 graphical user interface 1-3
raexc37 5-13 Green’s function 3-2, C-2
raexi31 6-17 GROUND Cpost, input file statement F-4
raexi31.out 6-18, 6-19 ground planes C-3
raexi32 6-20
raexi32.out 6-20, 6-21
raexi33 6-23 to 6-25
raexi33.mat 6-23 to 6-26
H
raexi33p 6-26 HEADER 8-18
raexi34 6-27 to 6-31
raexi34.mat 6-28
examples, naming conventions 1-7 I
EXT, RI3 input file statement 6-14
external nodes, RI3, see EXT 6-14 illustration of the automatic node assignment by RC2
when spice subcircuit is created Fig. 2-18
EXTRACT 4-20
INDUCTANCE
EXTRACT
Cpost input file statement F-4
RC2 input file statement 2-18
inductance
calculation of two parallel microstrips Fig. 6-17
microchips, RI3 example 6-17
F RC2 example 2-22
file cpost3.spice, RC2 free-space capacitance simulation wires, RI3 example 6-27
data Fig. F-10 inhomogeneous cases C-4
final structure after Taurus-Topography simulation Fig. inhomogeneous dielectric layers, RC2-BEM 3-9
E-11 INPUT CHECK / PLOTS 7-6
Finite-Difference method (FD) 3-1, C-8 input check/plots, RIL command 7-6
Finite-Element Method (FEM) 3-1, C-8 input file for Taurus-Topography Fig. E-10
FLOAT, Cpost input file statement F-3 input files
floating conductors RC2 2-3
RC2 2-20 RC3 4-3
RC2 example 2-34 RI3 6-5
floating-gate transistor RIL 7-8
Index-4 RA 2006.03
INPUT, Cpost input file statement F-3 Boundary-Element (BEM) 3-1
interactive mode and inductance, Cpost example F-9 comparison 3-3
interfaces Finite-Difference (FD) 3-1
GDS II 1-5 Finite-Element (FEM) 3-1
graphical user 1-3 MULTI_BAR, RI3 input file statement 6-10
internal and external inductances D-4
introduction 1-xi to ??, 1-1 to ??
plots, RC3 example 4-24 N
RC3-BEM 5-1
naming conventions for examples 1-7
RI3 6-1
Net Constructing 8-9
RI3 examples 6-17
Neumann boundary condition (magnetic ground plane)
typographical conventions 1-xi
B-2
NEW 7-6
new, RIL command 7-6
L NODE, RI3 input file statement 6-6
Labeling File Format 8-34 notes
layername parameter E-10 RC2-BEM 3-4
length units RC3-BEM 5-3
RC2 2-4
RC3 4-4
level 1 array under parallel level 2 array above substrate O
Fig. A-32
open-space boundary condition B-1, E-2
level 2 array under parallel level 1 array above substrate
Fig. A-33 OPTIONS 4-20
LIST 7-6 OPTIONS
list, RIL command 7-6 RC2 input file statement 2-19
loop inductances Fig. 6-2 RC3 input file statement 4-20, E-6
options, Cpost F-2
OPTIONS3I, RI3 input file statement 6-13
M output file for Example raexi33 Fig. 6-24
output file generated by RC2
magnetic energy D-2 Example aniso.rc2 Fig. 2-37
magnetic groundplane (Neumann boundary condition) Example raexc24 Fig. 2-33
B-2 Example raexc25 Fig. 2-35
main components and information flow of Raphael output from RI3 after post-processing file raexi33.mat
Interconnect Library (RIL) Fig. 7-2, 8-2, 8-3, with file raexi33p Fig. 6-26
8-4, 8-5, 8-6, 8-7, 8-8, 8-9, 8-10, 8-11, 8-12, output generated by Example
8-13, 8-27
aniso.rc3 Fig. 4-38
mask file in TL2 format, sample.tl2 Fig. E-8
raexc31 Fig. 4-25
MATRIX, RI3 input file statement 6-13 raexc32 Fig. 4-32
Maxwell’s equations C-1, D-1 raexc33 Fig. 4-36
MERGE 4-16 OUTPUT, Cpost input file statement F-3
MERGE overlap conductor above metal trace and ground plane
RC2 input file statement 2-13 Fig. A-31
RC3 input file statement 4-16 overlapping rule
MERGE3I, RI3 input file statement 6-14 RC2 2-4
Method of Moments (MOM) C-6 RC3 4-4
methods
RA 2006.03 Index-5
COLOR 4-7 to 4-14
P COORD 4-13
pad above a plane Fig. A-13 CTC 4-6 to 4-18
PARAM 4-4 DIEL 4-6 to 4-18, E-5
PARAM DIRECTION 4-5 to 4-16, 8-18 to ??, 8-18 to ??,
RC2 input file statement 2-4 8-21 to ??
RC3 input file statement 4-4 FAC_REGRID 4-21
RI3 input file statement 6-6 FLOAT 4-6 to 4-16, E-5
supported functions 2-4, 4-4 FROM 4-15
parameters, RC2 GRID_SLIP 4-20
ANG 2-5, 2-9 HEAT 4-7 to 4-18
ANG1 2-7 HEIGHT 4-5 to 4-13, 8-18 to ??, 8-18 to ??, 8-
ANG2 2-7 18 to ??, 8-21 to ??
ITER_TOL 4-21, E-6
CHRG 2-6 to 2-13
LENGTH 4-6
COLOR 2-6 to 2-10
MAX_ITER 4-21, E-6
COORD 2-10
MAX_REGRID 4-21
CX 2-5 to 2-8
NAME 4-5 to 4-13, 8-18 to ??, 8-21 to ??, 8-21
CY 2-5 to 2-8
DIEL 2-5 to 2-13
to ??, 8-22 to ??, 8-23 to ??, 8-26 to ??,
8-30 to ??, 8-31 to ??, 8-32 to ??, 8-33
DX 2-11
to ??, 8-34 to ??, 8-34 to ??, E-5
DY 2-11
PERP 4-6, 4-13
FAC_REGRID 2-19
RADIUS 4-9, 4-11
FILE 2-17
REGRID_TOL 4-21
FLOAT 2-5 to 2-11
RHO 4-6 to 4-18, E-5
FROM 2-11
SET_GRID 4-20
GND 2-17
TEMP 4-6 to 4-16
GRID_SLIP 2-19
TO 4-15
H 2-5
UNIT 4-21
ITER_TOL 2-19
V1 4-5 to 4-17, 8-18 to ??, 8-21 to ??, 8-21 to
LENGTH 2-17 ??, 8-22 to ??, 8-24 to ??, 8-25 to ??
MAX_ITER 2-19 V2 4-6 to 4-17
MAX_REGRID 2-19 VOLT 4-6 to 4-16, E-5
NAME 2-5 to 2-10 WIDTH 4-6
PX 2-8 parameters, RI3
PY 2-9 BASE_NODE 6-12
R 2-7
CENTER 6-8
REGRID_TOL 2-19
CRIT_ANGLE 6-13
RHO 2-6 to 2-17
DIRECTION 8-18 to ??
SET_GRID 2-19
FILAMENT 6-13
TO 2-11
H 6-9 to 6-12
UNIT 2-19
L1 6-8
VOLT 2-5 to 2-11
L2 6-8
W 2-5
N1 6-8
X1 2-12
N2 6-8
X2 2-12
NAME 6-7 to 6-12
Y1 2-12
NH 6-11
Y2 2-13
NODE1 6-9, 6-10
parameters, RC3 NODE2 6-9, 6-10
CENTER 4-11 NORMAL 6-7
CHRG 4-6 to 4-18, E-5 NW 6-10
Index-6 RA 2006.03
PLANE 6-7 power-plane resistance, RC2-BEM example 3-13
POSITION 6-7 print, RIL command 7-6
RHO 6-9 to 6-12
SEGMENT 6-13
UNIT 6-13
W 6-9, 6-10
Q
Parametric Library Fig. 7-2 QUIT 7-7
parametric structure to calculate capacitances of central QUIT
trace between two ground planes Fig. 7-21 Cpost input file statement F-6
parasitics extraction flow process 1-8 RIL command 7-7
part of RC3 output file
and capacitance values Fig. E-14
and resistance values Fig. E-15 R
partial inductances Fig. 6-2
raexc21 example file 2-23
partial listing
raexc22 example file 2-26 to 2-28
Example raexc21 Fig. 2-23
raexc22.pot example file 2-27
output file raexc34 for RC3-BEM Fig. 5-6
raexc23 example file 2-30, 2-31
partial listing of RI3 output file
raexi31.out showing example of inductance raexc24 example file 2-33, 2-34
calculation Fig. 6-19 raexc25 example file 2-35
raexi32.out Fig. 6-21 raexc26 example file 3-7
partial output raexc27 example file 3-11
Example raexc22 Fig. 2-26 raexc28 example file 3-14
file of raexc23 computes current density in bent line raexc31 example file 4-25 to 4-28
Fig. 2-30 raexc31.pot example file 4-26
partial output listing raexc32 example file 4-30 to ??
command file mcmi.cmd Fig. F-11 raexc32.pot example file 4-30
command file mcsi.cmd Fig. F-8 raexc33 example file 4-36
raexc28 simulates the resistances among 3 vias Fig.
3-14
PLANE, RI3 input file statement 6-12
PLANE_NODE, RI3 input file statement 6-7
Poisson’s equation C-2, D-2
raexi31 example file 6-17
poly
raexi31.out example file 6-18, 6-19
raexi32 example file 6-20
type geometric element Fig. 2-11
POLY3D 4-12 raexi32.out example file 6-20, 6-21
poly3d raexi33 example file 6-23 to 6-25
RC3 input file statement 4-12 raexi33.mat example file 6-23 to 6-26
type element with 4 vertices in polygon base Fig. 4- raexi33p example file 6-26
15 raexi34 example file 6-27 to 6-31
portion of output generated by RI3 for Example raexi34 raexi34.mat example file 6-28
Fig. 6-31 Raphael
POTENTIAL 4-19 data flow Fig. 1-2
POTENTIAL RC2
RC2 input file statement 2-14 command options 2-2
RC3 input file statement 4-19 command syntax 2-1
potential and capacitance analysis of a crossover floating conductors 2-20
structure, RC3 4-29 input file 2-3
RA 2006.03 Index-7
length units 2-4 input file 4-3
overlapping rule 2-4 introduction 4-1
RC2 and RC3 G-1 length units 4-4
RC2 examples overlapping rule 4-4
anisotropic dielectric materials 2-36 simulation commands
current density 2-29 DC resistance analysis 4-4
floating conductors 2-34 electrostatic analysis 4-4
inductance 2-22 static thermal analysis 4-4
introduction 2-22 RC3 examples
SPICE model 2-32 anisotropic dielectric materials 4-37
three lines 2-24 capacitance 4-29
RC2 input file statements current density 4-25
BOX 2-5 floating-gate transistor 4-35
CAPACITANCE 2-14 introduction, plots 4-24
CIRC1 2-6 resistance 4-25
CIRC2 2-8 RC3 input file statements
COPY 2-11 BLOCK 4-5
CURRENT 2-15 CAPACITANCE 4-19
EXTRACT 2-18 COPY3D 4-15
INDUCTANCE 2-16 CURRENT 4-19
MERGE 2-13 CYLINDER 4-9
OPTIONS 2-19 EXT 6-14
PARAM 2-4 EXTRACT 4-20
POLY 2-10 FREQUENCY 6-15
POTENTIAL 2-14 MATRIX 6-13
RESISTANCE 2-15 MERGE 4-16
SPICE 2-16 MERGE3I 6-14
WINDOW 2-12 MULTI_BAR 6-10
Z0 2-16 NODE 6-6
RC2 program 2-1 to ?? OPTIONS 4-20, E-6
RC2 solver 1-3 OPTIONS3I 6-13
RC2-BEM 3-1 to 3-15 PARAM 4-4, 6-6
command options 3-3, E-4 PLANE 6-12
command syntax 3-3 PLANE_NODE 6-7
comparison of RC2 3-5 POLY3D 4-12
introduction 3-1 POTENTIAL 4-19
notes 3-4 REF 6-15
theoretical background 3-2 SINGLE_BAR 6-9
RC2-BEM examples SPHERE 4-11
inhomogeneous dielectric layers 3-9 TEMPERATURE 4-19
THERMOCAP 4-20
power-plane resistance 3-13
WINDOW3D 4-17
three-microstrip line structure 3-6
RC3 solver 1-4, 4-1 to 4-39
RC2-BEM partial output listing
raexc26 Fig. 3-7 RC3-BEM
raexc27 simulates three-microstrip lines embedded command options 5-2
in stratified dielectric media Fig. 3-11 command syntax 5-2
RC2-BEM solver 1-4 comparison of RC3 5-4
RC3 introduction 5-1
notes 5-3
command options 4-2
command syntax 4-1 RC3-BEM examples
Index-8 RA 2006.03
crossover capacitance 5-8 running 7-3, 8-3
single plate above plane 5-4 solver 1-4
substrate resistance 5-12 SPICE netlist generation 7-10
trapezoidal conductor between two ground planes 5- start_up file 7-8
10 start_up file Fig. 7-10
RC3-BEM partial listing utility introduction 7-1
output file raexc35 Fig. 5-9 RIL commands
output file raexc37 Fig. 5-13 add 7-5, 8-12
raexc36 Fig. 5-11 check 7-5
RC3-BEM solver 1-4, 5-1 to 5-14 generate 7-5
REF, RI3 input file statement 6-15 input check/plots 7-6
related publications list 7-6
TCAD Products and Utilities Installation Manual 1- new 7-6
xii print 7-6
relationship between these capacitances and those QUIT 7-7
represented in Figure 2-5 Fig. 2-15 SAVE 7-7
resistance analysis 2-3 TABLE 7-7
resistance and current density, RC3 example 4-25 VISUALIZE 7-7
resistance calculation C-9 RIL examples
resistance dependency with frequency for microstrip introduction 7-12
Fig. 6-22 session 1 3D 7-12
resistance values calculated by RC3-Taurus- session 2 2D 7-16
Topography interface Fig. E-13 session 3 RIL and STUDIO Visualize 7-21
RESISTANCE, RC2 input file statement 2-15 RPD G-2
results obtained with RI3 compared with Walker’s
results for inductance per unit length Fig. 6-20
RI3 G-2 S
command options 6-4
SAVE 7-7
command syntax 6-4
SAVE, RIL command 7-7
data flow 6-4
session 1 3D, RIL example 7-12
equivalent circuit 6-16
session 2 2D, RIL example 7-16
input file Example raexi34 Fig. 6-29
input files 6-5 session 3 RIL and STUDIO Visualize, RIL example 7-
introduction 6-1 21
theory 6-1 short circuit capacitance of line m2 plotted against the
interwire distance Fig. 3-10
RI3 examples
short-circuit capacitance matrix calculated by Raphael
circular ring 6-23
Fig. 2-15
inductance of microstrips 6-17
side view of mask saved in sample.tl2 Fig. E-9
inductance of wires 6-27
introduction 6-17 SIGNAL, Cpost input file statement F-4
skin effect simulation 6-20 simulated inductance per unit length of structure
RI3 solver 1-4, 6-1 to 6-31 presented in Figure 2-8 Fig. 2-24
RIL single plate above ground plane Fig. 5-5
commands 7-5, 8-5, 8-18, 8-34 single plate above plane, RC3-BEM 5-4
customization 7-8 SINGLE_BAR, RI3 input file statement 6-9
directory structure 7-8 SIZE 8-22
environment variables 7-9 skin effect simulation, RI3 example 6-20
files 7-8 solvers
information flow 7-1, 8-1 2D 1-1
naming conventions 7-10
RA 2006.03 Index-9
3D 1-1 TEMPERATURE, RC3 input file statement 4-19
RC2 1-1, 1-3 TEXT_OPTIONS 8-29
RC2-BEM 1-1, 1-4 theoretical background 3-2
RC3 1-1, 1-4 theory, RI3 6-1
RC3-BEM 1-1, 1-4 THERMOCAP, RC3 input file statement 4-20
RI3 1-1, 1-4
THERMORES 4-20
RIL 1-4
Thomson’s theorem C-7
SPHERE 4-11
three contacts over two substrates Fig. 5-12
SPHERE, RC3 input file statement 4-11
three equal-sized rectangular conductors running parallel
SPICE model
to each other with equal spacing Fig. 2-34
RC2 example 2-32
three level crossover above ground plane Fig. A-16
substrate resistance using RC3-BEM Fig. 5-14
three lines, RC2 example 2-24
three-conductor system shown in Figure 2-22
without floating conductors Fig. 2-36 three parallel bonding wires Fig. A-17
SPICE netlist generation 7-10 three rectangular vias on planar resistive sheet Fig. 3-13
SPICE subcircuit three rectangular wires immersed in stratified dielectric
media Fig. 3-10
associated with element 20 of Parametric Library
Fig. 7-4 three-dimensional solvers 1-1
corresponding to structure 18 of parametric library three-microstrip line structure
Fig. 7-22 Fig. 3-6
created by Example raexc24 Fig. 2-34 RC2-BEM example 3-6
SPICE, RC2 input file statement 2-16 tools
start_up file, RIL 7-8 DPLOT 1-5
stripline structure with sapphire dielectric for simulation Taurus Visual 1-6
in Example aniso.rc2 Fig. 2-38 top views of mask saved in sample.tl2 Fig. E-9
structure corresponding to element 20 of Parametric trace bend above a plane Fig. A-7, A-8
Library Fig. 7-3 trace narrowing
structure for Example raexc31 Fig. 4-28 above a plane Fig. A-11
structure for Example raexc32 generated by line 6 of between 2 planes Fig. A-12
dpraexc32 Fig. 4-30 trace widening between 2 planes Fig. A-9, A-10
structure formed by two electrodes parallel to a ground trapezoidal conductor between two ground planes
plane Fig. 2-14 Fig. 5-10
structure used to demonstrate inductance simulations RC3-BEM 5-10
Fig. 2-22 two conformal dielectric layers
substrate resistance, RC3-BEM 5-12 metal layer on top of parallel lines Fig. A-28
top of parallel lines Fig. A-26
two crossover rectangular conductors above ground
T plane Fig. 5-8
two level crossover above ground plane Fig. A-15
TABLE 7-7
two magnetic planes facing (boundary condition) B-3
TABLE, RIL command 7-7
two Pins/Vias with pads
Taurus Layout E-2
above plane with antipads Fig. A-6
Taurus Layout mask E-7
above solid plane Fig. A-5
Taurus Visual 1-6
antipad holes of plane Fig. A-4
Taurus-Topography 3D E-3 two-dimensional solvers 1-1
Taurus-Topography input file E-9 two-terminal capacitance C-5
Taurus-Topography Interface E-1 typographical conventions 1-xi
TCAD Products and Utilities Installation Manual 1-xii
TEMPERATURE 4-19
Index-10 RA 2006.03
U
unequal width/spacing traces
between two ground planes Fig. A-24
with one ground plane Fig. A-23
without ground plane Fig. A-22
UNIT, Cpost input file statement F-5
utilities, RIL 7-1
V
variational method C-6
VISUALIZE 7-7
VISUALIZE, RIL command 7-7
VOLTAGE 8-32
W
WINDOW, RC2 input file statement 2-12
WINDOW3D 4-17
WINDOW3D, RC3 input file statement 4-17
Z
Z0, RC2 input file statement 2-16
RA 2006.03 Index-11

Raphael Reference Manual WWW Eng LBL Gov

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RaphaelTM

Interconnect Analysis Program

Destination Control Statement

Service Marks (SM)

Chapter 1 Using Raphael 1-1

Chapter 2 RC2: 2D Resistance, Capacitance, and

Chapter 3 RC2-BEM: 2D Field Solver by Boundary

Example 3: Modeling of the Power-Plane Resistance . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13

Chapter 4 RC3: 3D Resistance, Capacitance, and

Chapter 5 RC3-BEM: 3D Field Solver by Boundary

Ground Planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10

Chapter 6 RI3: 3D Resistance and Inductance with

Chapter 7 Raphael Interconnect Library 7-1

Chapter 8 Advanced Parser of Interconnect Structures 8-1

RIL Templates A-1

Boundary Conditions for the BEM Solvers B-1

Capacitance Theory C-1

Maxwell’s Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1

Inductance Theory D-1

Maxwell’s Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1

Taurus Topography Interface E-1

Capacitance Post-Processing F-1

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) G-1

RC2 and RC3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-1

About This Manual

This manual contains the following topics:

Courier Indicates command syntax.

Italic Indicates a user-defined value, such as object_name.

Bold Indicates user input—text you type verbatim—in syntax and

[] Denotes optional parameters, such as

... Indicates that a parameter can be repeated as many times as nec-

| Indicates a choice among alternatives, such as

\ Indicates a continuation of a command line.

/ Indicates levels of directory structure.

Control-c Indicates a keyboard combination, such as holding down the

Contacting the Synopsys Technical Support Center

Different areas of parasitic simulation analysis present special design challenges.

RIL GDS II Manual

Figure 1-1 Raphael data flow

Parasitics Database is of special interest to silicon foundries in the characteriza-

GDS II Stream Format Interface

Raphael Graphical User Interface

To run the interface, on the UNIX command line, type:

The Raphael main window opens to show four modules:

The GDS II interface to Raphael is implemented in Synopsys TCAD’s IC Layout

To visualize results of Raphael simulations, type:

Taurus Visual Support

Command Description Format

constitutes a valid group, composed of the subgroups: (PARM1; [PARM2;

Square brackets enclose groups that are optional. For example,

indicates that in the NEWCOMMAND command, the parameter PARM1 is optional.

Naming Convention for Examples

where # is the number for the particular example.

Raphael Flow to Extract Parasitics

See the Raphael Tutorial for a complete discussion of Raphael parasitics

Technology Characteristics Parasitics Database Regression

Generic Regression Database

LPE Layer Information

LPE Tool Interface

LPE Rule Deck

Figure 1-2 Raphael parasitics extraction flow

RC2 uses dynamic memory allocation so the complexity of the structure to be

The syntax of the RC2 command line is: